


Ciarra the Cold

by Nyx_Wylder



Category: Original Work, isekai - Fandom
Genre: BDSM, Caning, Dark, F/F, Fantasy, Furry, Gamelit, Harems, Isekai, LitRPG, Magic, Magical Sex Toys, Multiple Partners, Polyamory, Rough Sex, Sadism, Sex Magic, Sex Toys, Slice of Life, Spanking, Tail Sex, Villain Main character, Whipping, dubcon, no sex with males, sensitive tails being used as dildos, tribbling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2020-08-09 18:55:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 51,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20123227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyx_Wylder/pseuds/Nyx_Wylder
Summary: The gods created a game-like world for their high-stakes contest, and Ciarra is the most powerful of their pawns, she ignores little things like racism, bigotry, and societal norms.One little foxkin who has lived a hard and brutal life becomes Ciarra's pet. For the first time in years, she has hope, and a chance to follow her dreams.Assuming Ciarra, an amoral sexual sadist, doesn't kill her first.Expect DUBCON, lesbian harem, NSFW themes, dark themes with a chance for a brighter future, and dragons eating vanquished foes - both literally and figuratively.





	1. Reincarnation

Something was wrong. I knew it from the moment I woke up. Everything felt off… Strange and unnatural, but most of all, I felt awkward, something I had never felt before. My lair, a cavern I carved into an iceberg, looked as it always had. 

After stretching languidly, I slid down the modest hoard of gold I slept on, and walked over to the remains of my dinner. Little meat was left from the [Greater Polar Bear] I killed yesterday, so I cracked open several of it's larger bones and sucked out the marrow. It's little more than a snack, but it will do for a few hours. What's wrong with me today? Everything looks normal, but it feels unnatural. Once I finished eating, I walked to the underwater entrance to my lair. 

My reflection in the nearly frozen water was WRONG.

I was old, overweight, and disfigured. Not at the Quasimodo level, but people always looked at me with disgust, or worse, pity. As much as I wanted to be this strangely beautiful lizard-human combination, I didn't look like that.

Even though she perfectly matched my every movement.

Memories flooded into my mind. Impossible memories of being human. Of living in a strange world filled with the magic of electronics, and incredible feats of engineering. Wait. Magic of electronics? There isn't anything magical about electronics. Not that I could really explain exactly how they worked. What was so strange about being human? I've always been human. What else could I be? No, I was a primordial dragon, and I have watched countless civilizations rise and fall. The thought of being a simple and weak human was laughable.

I collapsed bonelessly. My mind breaking under the two sets of incompatible memories.

In one, I was human. My life was filled with an endless empty loneliness. Cast out by my own family, shunned by society, always dreaming of human contact. Only on the Internet, where my true face was hidden, could I find companionship, and my few friends. Fantasies were my only outlet. Alone, in my small one room apartment, I remembered finishing a commission on my drawing tablet, the only steady work I could find. Then someone kicked open the door. They screamed about the goddess commanding my death. Then a shotgun, and three explosions of pain. Stomach, chest, then face. They just kept shooting. And… I died.

In the other, I was a primordial dragon. Ancient and powerful. Living in a single eternal moment. An endless yesterday without any real sense of time, stretched past the last ice age. In fact, didn't I cause it? Xelburrayn and I fought. By the time he submitted, our battle had altered weather patterns across the world. My memories didn't stop there. They continued in a seemingly endless yesterday that stretched from last night to… the beginning. I was one of the twelve primordial dragons that formed in the ocean of raw creation energy that poured off the gods as they gave birth to the world.

In both lives I was always alone. Never touched. Never loved.

My worthless human life should only be thrown into sharper contrast by my time as a primordial dragon. After all, I was comfortable in my solitude, and I was one of the most powerful beings on the planet, perhaps the most powerful of them all, short of the gods themselves.

So, why are the few decades I spent as a lonely failure of a human so much… *more* than the eons I ruled over much of the world?

As soon as I had the thought, I knew the answer. Hopes. Dreams. Desires. Without them life is pointless, and a dragon doesn't have any of them. Dragons don't have desires, they simply fill needs. A dragon lives in an eternal now. If you only have the present, you don't have a future, and without a future, how can you hope? How can you dream? 

My two selves seem to spiral through my mind, merging into a new combined whole. As the world faded away, I latched onto my human sense of time, and my human hopes, dreams, and desires. I swore to myself that I would never willingly surrender them.

Did I die again? I still don't really know. Either way, I woke up as a new person. Neither human nor dragon. Something new. Hopefully better.

Some of what I clung so desperately to was part of me now. I no longer lived in an endless moment, but my sense of time still wasn't quite that of a human. Although having the patience of an immortal should be a good thing. Most importantly, I knew what I wanted. It wasn't the most noble of goals, but I knew EXACTLY what my life was missing.

Sex. 

Should I make this a classic fairytale? A princess captured by a dragon? I couldn't stop grinning. Princess. Apparently I was still a lesbian. Not that I actually cared about their social status. Queen or beggar, once their nude body was under mine, what difference did it make? Other than making sure that they are throughly cleaned first.

Perhaps it was the dragon in me speaking, but why should I stop at one? 

No mortal could hope to stop me from traveling around the world, picking out the most beautiful women, then turning them into my harem, even if they are not willing. The thought makes me sigh with pleasure. It would be so easy. Then I let out another sigh, this one tinged with frustration. As much as I enjoyed the thought of a pretty little thing squirming under me, that would be dishonorable.

Unless they attack me first.

Then they would be fair game.

I turned back to my reflection in the water, the same one that brought all these memories flooding back.

I was in my humanoid form. Long white hair cascaded down a hairless body covered in tiny white scales, both my hair and scales were as pure and white as fresh snow. Small pointed ears, and two short spiraling silver horns perfectly accented an ethereally beautiful face, too beautiful to be real. My silver eyes are slitted like a cat, or more accurately, like a crocodiles.

I looked mostly human, but my feet were closer to a reptiles, with strong toes that ended in sharp talons. They would make climbing easy. I always liked going barefoot anyway. At least my hands looked human, except for these retractable silver talons. I flexed my talons, and watched the way they slid in and out of my fingers. They ranged from looking like short fingernails to five inch blades. It's not like a cat's retractable claws. Their isn't enough room inside my fingers to hide a talon that long. Ha, I have magical fingers. Literally. I would need to be careful, accidentally extending one inside a lover wouldn't be pretty.

I cupped my breasts with a smile. Big enough to attract the eyes, without being so big that they would constantly be in the way. I wondered if my tail counterbalanced my breasts. I turned around and took a long look at the reflection of my butt and long prehensile tail. Better than any actor, model, or porn star. Even after airbrushing. I'm the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

My hand drifted down between my legs. Everything was hidden behind a slit, just like every other reptile, but it felt as though everything was there. Only, I was far more sensitive than my human body ever was. Wonderfully so.

I ran one hand down an arm. Many scales covered my body. A few are as large as an inch, but most are so small that they were nearly invisible, and they cover every inch of my skin. I've never thought about it before, but I’ve never had even a small scrape or cut since being reborn into this body, except from fighting truly powerful foes, like other primordial dragons. Even when fighting monsters like the [Greater Polar Bear] I killed earlier. I remembered sticking my arm down it's throat and grabbing it's tongue so it couldn't escape, then I beat it's head in with my other fist. It bit and clawed at me, but even it's strength couldn't cut through my scales. They are truly armor.

I continued to enjoy my reflection. Hands stroking my soft perfection. I couldn't believe I looked like this. I turned around to inspect my ass again. In my last life I always masturbated with my eyes closed. I didn't want to see myself. Now I wish I had mirrors for a better view.

A smile curved my lips as I watched my tail, twitching idly back and forth. I wrapped it around my waist a few times, and stroked a hand gently down it's length. A shiver of anticipation ran through me as I imagined what it would feel like inside me. I sat down on the edge of the pool, and leaned against the ice wall, dangling my feet in the nearly frozen water. Who needs a penis, dildo, or vibrator? A prehensile tail can do so much more than thrusting in and out!

Even though my body burned with desire, I forced myself to go slow. I leaned back and stroked my hands up my body, starting from my hips, and slowly traveling up to my stomach, not stopping until my hands brushed against the bottom of my perky breasts. Then I reversed direction and headed back down. I teased at the edges of my erotic zones. I don't know my own body yet. I haven't masturbated since being born in this body. I guess it's not something dragons normally do. Huh. Actually, since dragons don't reproduce sexually, that made sense. It's memories from my past life that open up this possibility. A spark of worry gnaws at my mind. I hope I enjoy sex. It's possible that dragons work differently. Concerned, I sped things up. I'll make this one a quickie. I could always explore my body later.

Each hand came to rest, cupping a breast with a gentle grip. I stroked my claws across my nipples, and enjoyed the prickling rush of razor sharp edges running over my hardening flesh. My tail slides up between my legs, up over belly, and threaded between my breasts. It hovered before my mouth. I worked up a mouthful of saliva for lubrication, then took the end of my tail into my mouth. Firm and strong, it felt heavier than it should. The sensations coming from my own tail as I slid it between my lips and into my mouth caused me to twitch involuntarily. Oh my god. So good. The end of my tail is an erotic zone! It wasn't as sensitive earlier. Perhaps it only works that way during sex? It seemed to good to be true.

Before the day ended I would understand why my body seemed built for sex.

I allowed the saliva covered length to slide from my mouth, and down my body, until it hovered above my vulva. Over the entrance to my slit. I gently spread my labia and slid my tail into myself. My breathing became ragged with pleasure. I ran my fingers through the thick liquid dripping from my slit to lubricate them, then began to slowly stroke my folds, carefully avoiding my nub. It wasn't time for that yet. I allowed each stroke of my fingers to come a microscopically closer, pleasure build until I couldn't resist any longer, and I started flexing the end of my tail back and forth inside me. I wasn't stroking in and out like someone fucking, instead I twisted and rolled my tail inside of my pussy. It's firm strength was an irresistible pressure. So much better than any dildo. Or vibrator. Or dick. My fingers finally brushed over my nub, and sent a spike of pleasure through me. My pussy tightened involuntarily on my tail, sending another surge of pleasure up it's length. It only took a few strokes with my fingers, as I worked them in time with the twisting of my tail, before an intense orgasm overwhelmed my senses.

I loved my new body.

Still shivering with aftershocks of pleasure, I slid down the wall, rolled onto my back, and started caressing myself again. My tail slid out of my pussy, and traveled up my body, until I took it back into my mouth.

I loved the tart taste of my own pleasure.

It wasn't enough. I needed more. Much more.

When I woke up for the fourth time that same day, I was still laying on the ice floor, riding the afterglow. Was that ten orgasms? Twenty? Either way, I've never imagined anything could feel so good. Not even close. My new body was made for sex.

"I see you enjoyed my gift." The unexpected voice rides the edge of mocking without quite crossing that line.

Reacting instantly, I spun around to face my visitor, shifted into full dragon form, and activated my defensive wards.

How?

Our senses are nearly perfect. Hearing, sight, smell, empathic scenting, tremorsense, and magesense. Between them, it should have been impossible for anything, short of a god, to sneak up on a primordial dragon unawares.

Although I hadn't seen the tall woman standing before me before, I instantly know who she is, and why I didn't sense her approach.

"Kolra, Goddess of Domination and Control, why are you in my lair?" Her timing was a clue. I knew it had something to do with my new memories of a past life. Anything else was to much to hope for.

My human side is shocked. At first, I don't want to admit that gods are real, even if they are not the omniscient and omnipotent beings I was taught about as a human child, but my dragon side knows what she is. This was better. Instead of having one all knowing and all powerful being, their are many for people to choose from. In some ways, choosing a god is closer to choosing a leader than anything else.

"I honored my end of our bargain. It's time for you to honor yours." 

"Bargain? What bargain?" I had never bargained with a god. It was simply not worth the risk.

Kolra said, "It's time for you to remember the rest." Then she made a twisting gesture and vanished. Another set of memories opened. Not another life, instead it's what happened after my human life ended. I was a spirit, still looking down at my own dead corpse, when Kolra joined me.

Our conversation wasn't pleasant. That goddess has never been kind.

Kolra explained that she wanted me to be her champion in the gods [Great Game]. She needed someone with a soul strong enough to become a primordial dragon, so she made an offer I couldn't refuse. Serve her faithfully, and she would make sure that I was both beautiful enough and powerful enough to have the sex I had always dreamed of. If I refused, I would spend eternity in everlasting agony. Of course, I had agreed. Some things are worse than death. She forced me to become both her champion, and her [High Priestess].

My human side wanted to hate her for it, but my dragon side felt differently. Kolra had the power, and therefore the right, to make such a demand. She clearly explained my options, then let me make my choice. She didn't attempt to deceive me in any way. I respect that. More importantly, she didn't stop at the minimum. If she had, my body wouldn't be so beautiful, or so perfectly designed for sensual pleasure.

Honor demanded that I hold up my side of our bargain.

Suddenly, the universe itself responded to my acceptance, and I understood the [Great Game], my place in it, and the many rules binding both the champions and the gods.

The [Great Game]. It had many names. In my human life I knew it as Armageddon, Maitreya, and Ragnarok. When the gods created the first world, they fought over the people inhabiting it. There were no winners. All the faithful died. Gods are simply too powerful to fight each other directly. They created another world, and failed a second time. Something had to be done, so they made a pact. Now they cooperate in the creation of a dozen worlds. Instead of battling for control of each world, most likely destroying it in the process, they create a thirteenth game-like world to fight on. They still don't fight directly, even on that world, instead they choose champions to battle for them. The gods invest some of their power into their champions, turning them into demigods, and making them far more powerful than normal mortals. All the gods do their best to beat the system. Anything goes, as long as none of the rules are actually broken.

All champions must reincarnate into a humanoid race of their gods choice. Their are many races to choose from. Most of them were created from games and stories. Humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, beastkin, even catgirls are all valid choices. It shouldn't be possible for a dragon to become a champion. When I asked Kolra about it, she explained that she made a little change to dragons without the other gods noticing. Dragons were no longer monsters that could shift into a humanoid form, instead they were humanoids that could shift into Dragon form. This made them a valid reincarnation race, and Kolra was the only one who knew. At least she didn't think any of the other gods knew.


	2. The Game Begins

The whole world thrummed with a burst of power, heralding the start of the [Great Game]

I felt something indescribable click into place, and agony blossomed as the rules of the game turned me into a champion, and a [Priestess] of Kolra. Champions have much higher stats than normal people. They are stronger, tougher, faster, and smarter than normal mortals. They also have powerful unique abilities. Even the weakest champion is capable of defeating an army by themselves.

In that moment, every champion became much more powerful as they gained their demigod abilities.

Except for me.

Power I earned over the eons drained away, leaving me weak and exhausted. I was barely able to force myself back to my feet. Upon inspection, my worse fears were realized.

I had become a [Level 1 Priestess].

Just a few seconds ago I was a level 999 primordial dragon. At first I wanted to bellow in rage, but then I read the rest of my status screen, and slowly calmed down. My feelings were… mixed. Yes, I had lost a great many skills and abilities, and I was undeniably far weaker than I had been. However, my potential had never been higher.

This world may have levels, but it's abilities and stats that truly determine how powerful someone is. Every time you level up, you gain 2 character points. These points are used to increase your stats, or you can use them to increase the rank of your abilities, spells, and skills. Stats increase at the rate of one to one, but the number of points required to increase a rank doubled every time the rank increased. Rank 1 costs just 1 point, but Rank 10 takes a whopping 512 points. Mortals rarely reach level 50, so even if they are willing to sacrifice most of their other skills, very few pass rank 6. No mortal has ever passed rank 8 in any skill.

I had always gained double the normal character points when I leveled because I was a powerful creature. Apparently, being a champion also doubles the character points gained. Considering I had 8 character points waiting at level 1, they clearly stacked. I had been level capped, and hadn't been able to increase my ranking since before the rise of civilization. Now I could level up again. Eventually I'll be far more powerful than before.

I still had the most important of my draconic abilities, and I had several new demigod abilities. Many of which, like my body, were tailor-made for sex. My water magic had been reduced all the way down to rank 1. But, I retained my previous rank in all of my draconic abilities, and most of my new demigod abilities were rank 10.

Put into terms my old human self would have understood, [Skiing I] is the equivalent of beginner. Someone with that rank is ready for the beginner slopes, but not much else. By the time they reach [Skiing III], they are comfortable on advanced slopes. At [Skiing V] they have reached the Olympic level. At [Skiing VII] it's become a superpower. They put on a pair of skis in the summer, and snow appears on the ground in front of them. At the maximum rank of [Skiing X], they can ski uphill. Through a battlefield. Without snow. In their sleep.

As a primordial dragon, all of my stats started at 50. As a champion, I received an additional 50 point bonus to all stats. Considering that the range of stats for a normal human is 1 to 10, my minimum of 100 makes my weakest stat 10 times stronger than their maximum. Being a demigod also gave me 50 points to use in order to increase any of my stats. I spent one point in every skill, then split the remainder between toughness and will. As a priestess, they are my most important stats, and that's what I plan on focusing on first. Why did I spend a point in each stat? It was simple prudence. Most people stop at nice round numbers. I wanted to have just a little more in case I needed a tiebreaker against someone with a stat of 100.

I decided to save my character points for now. I need to have a better feel for my magic before I decide where to spend them.

> Name: Ciarra  
Level: 1  
Race: Primordial Dragon (Frost)  
Gender: Female  
Class: Priestess
> 
> Character Points: 8
> 
> Ability Scores:  
Strength: 101  
Agility: 101  
Toughness: 124  
Mind: 101  
Will: 123
> 
> Special Abilities:  
[Powerful Existence] - Character points gained on level up are doubled.
> 
> Magical Spells:  
[Holy Smite I] - Holy damage to a single target. Range: Sight.  
[Heal I] - Heal single target. Range: Touch  
[Storage Magic I] - Spacial Magic capable of storing anything caster owns. Time does not pass for stored items. Range: 5 feet  
[Water Manipulation I] - You control water. Range: 25 feet.
> 
> Demigod Abilities (Unique):  
[Godling] - Has the potential to become a god.  
[Champion of Kolra] - Character points gained on level up are doubled.  
[Flesh Shaping X] - Permanently alter targets body. Range: Touch  
[Empathic Scenting X] - All emotions cause subtle changes in body chemistry, and you can detect them all. Range: Special  
[Empathic Sensuality X] - Share sensations with your lovers at will. Range: Touch  
[Sexual Insight X] - You understand the most secret fantasies and sexual desires of your target, even things they have not admitted to themselves. Target: Sight
> 
> Draconic Abilities:  
[Dragon Form VI] - You can shapeshift into a dragon at will.  
[Dragons Breath VI] - Frost based breath weapon. Works in both humanoid and dragon forms. Dragon form greatly increases range and damage. Range: 25 foot cone.  
[Tremorsense V] - You sense subtle vibrations through the ground allowing you to pinpoint it's source and likely cause.  
[Magesense IX] - You sense the flow of magic around you.  
[Dragon Armor X] - Your scales block all but the most powerful of attacks.  
[Thermal Immunity X] - You are immune to all forms of thermal damage.  
[Protected Mind VII] - You are highly resistant to all forms of mental attacks.  
[Magic Resistance VII] - You are highly resistant to all forms of offensive magic.

  
The [Great Game] just moved onto the next step, giving me two quests.  


[Become Kolra's High Priestess - Part 1] - Travel to Gravestead.  
[Path to Power - Part 1] - Join the Adventurers Guild.

I looked around the empty cavern that was my lair. Nothing here mattered to me anymore, other than the hoard I slept on. Stories from my human memories described dragons as sleeping on piles of gold, and I always assumed it was just another symbol of dragons greed. How little I knew.

Dragons sleep on gold for one reason. We are formed from pure creation energy, and that makes us very sensitive to all forms of magic. Gold is soothing. It absorbs stray magic, acting like a small magical battery, it insulates us from the tiny natural fluctuations in the magic field that covers the world. It's like sleeping in the country instead of the city. The country isn't quiet, and the night is still filled with noise, but it's the noise of crickets, birds, and the occasional animal. Not the blaring of a siren, or the crack of a pistol.

I only bothered to gather enough to sleep on comfortably. So, it was a small hoard. To my dragon side. My human side knew better. It was deep enough that I didn't feel the flow of magic through the earth when I laid on it, and it was wide enough that I could stretch out on it in dragon form. I'm over a hundred feet long, and the pile was about 10 feet deep. My hoard would probably overflow an Olympic sized swimming pool. I vaguely remembered something about how all the gold mined in my old world would only fill a couple of them.

Unless I was greatly mistaken, I was the one percent.

I considered it for a few minutes.

I already knew I was powerful enough to destroy kingdoms, and now I also knew I was rich enough to buy and sell them. My human side wanted to curl into a ball and hide away from the responsibility, but my dragon side wasn't fazed, it knew it's worth, and I clung to that assurance.

I used [Storage Magic] to create a dimensional pocket under the pile of gold, and watched as it flowed into nothing. After a few minutes, my storage was filled. I had planned on saving my initial character points, but I decided to spend six of them to upgrade [Storage Magic] to rank three. My newly upgraded [Storage Magic] was barely able to hold my hoard, but it was able to hold it. Thankfully it seemed to be based on volume, not weight.

**Upgraded [Storage Magic I] to [Storage Magic III]. Cost: 6 Character Points.**

With the gold safely stored, I decided that I might as well leave now. It's not like I had anything else to take with me. I dived into the water, my fading human instincts insisted that the water must be freezing cold, but now that I was a frost dragon, it felt comfortable against my skin. I swam along the tunnel. The underwater ice cave was beautiful. Daylight shone down on the iceberg, and filled the cave with a blue-green glow.

Once I reached the end of the cave, I used my retractable claws to climb up the side of the iceberg. I marveled at how easy it was. In my humanoid form, I was taller, and presumably heavier, than most women, but I was at least ten times stronger than an extreme bodybuilder from my old world. It felt like I weighed nothing. 

After I reached the top, I dived down toward the water. My elegant dive suddenly turned into flight, when I shifted into my dragon form and spread my wings. After a few powerful strokes, I flew away from my old lair for the last time. I was looking for signs of civilization. A road, farmland, or anything else that might lead to a city.

I had two quests to complete, and a harem to fill.

I expected to find civilization after flying for a day or two. 

I thought it was just a simple case of using the sun to navigate. It rises in the east and sets in the west. I didn't know where Gravestead was, and if you don't know where to go, then one direction is as good as another. The sun was high in the sky, so I thought that following it until nightfall was smart. I planned to keep it at my back in the morning, take a break while it's at it's peak, then follow it as it sets. I believed it would keep me heading in a vaguely westward direction. What could be simpler?

Only after I spent what felt like an eternity following the sun did I realize my mistake.

I must have been near one of the poles, because the sun never set. I don't know how long I flew in a circle, chasing the sun through the sky. The landscape was beautiful, but also monotonous, and I was entranced by the unchanging world around me. I flew in a half doze, like when I crossed an ocean.

Until I nearly fell from the sky in exhaustion.

I landed and shifted into humanoid form, still growling in frustration, I tried to ignore my hunger pains. I walked across the snow. At least I didn't need snowshoes. Controlling water is an extremely flexible ability, so I was able to use [Water Manipulation] to harden the snow underfoot.

I hadn't eaten anything since the morning my memories returned. Endless snow rolled in every direction, and I couldn't sense anything to hunt. No wildlife at all. Another mistake. If I'd stayed close to the shoreline, where life was plentiful, finding something to eat would have been easy. Instead, I hadn't eaten anything. How long has it been? A day? Several days? A week? Longer? The constant sunlight had destroyed my time sense. I still don't know how long I flew in circles.

Without a compass, and with few landmarks to follow, I didn't like my options. I knew travel would become a tedious process of flying a short distance, hovering in place while using [Water Manipulation] to make a tower out of the snow, then flying directly away from the line of towers, until I left this endless plane of snow.

Looking back on that trip, I know that the memories from my past life as a dragon hadn't had time to fully integrate. My human memories were overriding my dragon instincts. If I had followed my instincts, I wouldn't have needed a compass. I only needed to pay attention to my senses. Without references, I wouldn't have know which way was north, but I would have been able to fly in a straight line easily.

Exhausted, I buried myself in the snow, trying to block out the sun, anything to get some sleep.

Intermittent snuffling and digging sounds slowly woke me from my restless sleep.

For a moment I was confused, then strong jaws chomped down on my side and ripped me from the snow, shaking me like a dog with a chew toy. Another mouth closed on one of my legs, growling and yanking. In moments I was buried in fur covered bodies, biting and ripping at my flesh, like a pack of dogs fighting over a toy. I belatedly recognized their scent. Logic told me it was just a pack of [Winter Wolves]. Hardly dangerous to me, even in my weakened state.

But, my human side gibbered in terror.

Slowly, one simple fact was recognized, even through the panic that filled my mind.

Nothing hurt.

I unsheathed my claws, and sliced into my attackers. Two died in moments. Like many RPG's, stats meant everything, and I was the biggest and baddest around. Five of them, and all were bigger than I was. Pulling free was still child's play. All that biting and clawing didn't breach my scales. Intellectually, I knew that I could stand there all day and they couldn't hurt me.

They pulled away, suddenly wary, now that the scent of pack blood filled the air.

Priestess magic, also known as holy magic, was new to me, so I decided to try out my new attack spell. I casted [Holy Smite]. My hands were wreathed in a golden glow as I whispered the short chant, then a ball of golden energy flashed from my hand into one of the wolves, killing it instantly. The sudden savory scent of raw meat made my stomach rumble.

The two remaining creatures turned and ran. My instincts screamed in warning. Never let an enemy live. Don't give them a chance to learn from their mistakes, or they might come back in the future. So, I gave into my bloodlust, and chased after the fleeing pair. I was faster than them. Without slowing down, I chanted [Holy Smite] again, aiming for the one of the right. The spell hit, and I was left with a single surviver. Drawing close, I lashed out with a kick. The beast slammed into a rock with a yelp of pain. It tried to craw away, even though it's back was obviously broken. I kicked it in the head, putting it out of it's misery. No reason for it to suffer needlessly.

**You have gained a level. (Note: Experience limitation of one level per event triggered.) **

Provision problems solved, I was much happier as I dragged the corpses back to my camp. I used my claws to butcher them, and wrapped most of the meat in one of the winter wolfs hides. The bundle of fur wrapped wolf meat was reasonably easy to carry. Especially once it froze solid.

I was a bloody mess, but I couldn't do anything about that. Or could I? Something tickled at my memory. As a frost dragon, my [Water Manipulation] was also able to control temperature. I didn't care if the water was cold, I just needed it to be liquid. So I used my spell to gather and melt snow until I had enough to soak in. I didn't have any soap, but at least I was able to get the worst of the blood off.

Thinking about the fight, my biggest surprise was that [Winter Wolves] died with one cast of rank one [Holy Smite]. While they are not especially powerful, they are not weak either. I finally decided that it must be my stats that made the difference. The higher your mind stat, the more damage your attack spells deal. My mind stat is ten times higher than the best starting wizard, so my attack spells should hit ten times harder than their attack spells. At least I thought that was how it worked. It wasn't like the gods left a manual. I just had a short line of text on the mind stat saying that it increased the effectiveness of magical attacks.

I enjoyed a breakfast of raw wolf meat, then continued on my journey.

After what felt like weeks, I finally started seeing scattered trees. More importantly, the sun sometimes touched the horizon. I decided to stop flying around, especially in full dragon form. Gathering more information before I attracted attention seemed the smart move. So I continued my journey on foot.

A few days later, the deep snowbanks I had been traveling over simply ended. Not gradually, but in a hard line that stretched as far as I could see in both directions. The icy tundra I had become so familiar with simply ended, and a forest began. I stepped back and forth across the line. Although the temperature on both sides felt comfortable to me, I imagine anyone else would find the forest much more pleasant. Like a cool day in fall instead of the freezing cold of an arctic winter.

I wondered what the story was behind it. An archmage? An ancient artifact? Another primordial dragon? I knew it wasn't part of the game, so I decided that it probably didn't matter anyway. Prey was much easier to find, and I no longer went to bed hungry. Now that hunger wasn't a problem, I really started to enjoy the trip. Especially because I was completely immune to insect bites. If a pack of [Winter Wolves] can't break my skin, what chance did a mosquito or ant have?

Less than a mile after entering the forest I finally found a road. I decided not to travel directly on it. I still didn't have any clothing, and didn't want to attract attention, so I came up with a different plan. I traveled along the edge of the woods, deep enough to hide, but close enough to see anyone traveling on the road before they saw me.


	3. Bandits

Finally feeling clean, or as clean as possible without soap, I leaned back and relaxed. Water flowed pleasantly around me. Cold water. The river was barely above freezing, and would be fatally cold to anyone else, but the strong current felt wonderful to me, especially flowing against the most intimate of places.

With a contented sigh I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, the scents from the forest carried a thousand little stories to my nose. A nearby fox's den hid a mother and her cubs. A couple deer fed downstream, keeping a wary eye on me. When I was human, I felt helpless with my eyes closed, but I didn't feel that way anymore. I was almost as aware of my surroundings with my eyes closed as I was with them open.

Just a slight hint of unexpected emotional scents caught my attention. Greed. Lust. Anticipation. It wasn't that animals couldn't experience these emotions, but that their emotions were far less complicated. Someone was sneaking through the nearby brush. I had underestimated how useful empathic scenting was. Not only did I know someone was nearby, even with my eyes closed, but I also knew exactly where he was. I opened my eyes, being careful to avoid looking directly in his direction. Pretending to be unaware of his presence, I watched him out of the corner of my eye. The game-like nature of this world was so strange. He was a rogue. That's not a comment on his morals, it was his class. From my knowledge of the [Great Game], I knew all rogues had the abilities sneak and backstab. Rogues could also have other abilities depending on how powerful they were, but this one is far too low level for me to feel concerned.

After several minutes, he slipped away. That was strange. If he was really planning on leaving me alone, then why was he still filled with such anticipation? A scout? That would explain both what he was feeling, and how he was acting. I quietly climbed out of the pool, then hesitated, considering the best way to handle the situation.

Sometimes the simplest choice is the best one.

The scent trail left by the bandit was easy to follow, even without the tracking skill. I quietly snuck along after him. I wasn't skilled in sneaking, but I had another plan. I didn't try to approach him. With these senses I could stay deep in the woods and still see and hear what was going on.

A little while later I reached a clearing. At least two dozen people were in the camp, most of them were men, but there were a few women scattered around. Melee fighters, both warriors and rogues, made up most of the bandits, although I also saw a few rangers and archers. The group even included a wizard. The camp was in an uproar. The rogue that saw me relaxing in the river was having an excited conversation with their leader. I couldn't hear most of the conversation over the racket coming from everyone else gearing up, but I heard enough to know what they were planning. They assumed that I was part of some merchant caravan they planed on attacking, only they think I went ahead of the rest for a private bath. They planned on capturing me now, then attacking the caravan later tonight. They want to capture as many of us alive as possible, so that we can be sold as slaves. They only seemed to disagree about one thing. Who would get to rape me first.

Yeah. Like that was going to happen.

"I don't know what she is, but she isn't a coldblooded lizardkin. The river is nearly freezing, and dangerous for anyone. A lizardkin would die in minutes. She must be some kind of monster. Stupid. Idiots.", muttered an annoyed looking foxkin near my hiding place. All of the other bandits fit their classes. Strength for fighters. Intelligence for the wizard. Agility for the rogues. But, this foxkins highest stat was intelligence and her lowest stat was agility. So why was she a rogue? Very strange.

While I waited, I took the opportunity and used [Sexual Insight] on all the women. Most were so vanilla it made my teeth ache. Is this how the average woman looks at sex on this world? It seemed impossible. On the other hand, even in the modern world many female children are still taught that sex is bad. It's really possible that they just don't know better. Only two of them had ever masturbated, and even they didn't interest me. The foxkin did. She only thought of sex as a necessary price she paid for protection, which said a lot about her past life. However, buried deep inside her, so deep that she didn't have the slightest clue, was a kinky little bisexual submissive. She had the spark. I wanted to play with her.

They moved out, leaving the camp abandoned. I briefly considered following, but decided they would be back anyway. They didn't even put out the fire, and their stew smelled good. I hadn't eaten anything except for raw meat since regaining my memories, so I settled down for some stew and cheese while I waited for them to return.

Some time later arguing voices announced the return of the bandits. Only the foxkin seemed to be happy. The rest of them seem to be angry at the scout. The foxkin gasped when she saw me sitting on one of their wagons. Even with her reaction, it still took several seconds before the rest of them realized I was there.

I smiled in amusement at the shock on their faces. Their shock was quickly replaced by something else. I had never had anyone look at my nude body with anything more than disgust or pity before. So when the scent of lust suddenly drowned out everything else, I couldn't help but laugh. What a wonderful change.

The moment was ruined when the foxkin raised her crossbow and shot me. The bolt hit me in my side, but my scales easily reflected it off into the woods. These are low level bandits, and unless one happens to be another champion, I was confident that I could have sat there all day and none of their attacks would even break my skin. Being overwhelmingly more powerful than the monsters I've fought didn't make me feel like this. Fighting monsters had felt unreal. Almost like a dream.

This felt real.

And I knew I wasn't in any danger at all.

Overpowered indeed.

I suddenly realized that I didn't need to worry about bigots or social norms. Between my looks, and being gay, people had turned my human past life into hell. But it doesn't matter if being a lesbian is considered acceptable here. What could they possibly do to me? Kill me? Hardly. Lock me up in prison? Ha! I could literally punch my way through a solid steel wall. I'm practically immune to both magic and mind control abilities. I was also nearly impossible to poison with well over 100 toughness. It's certainly possible for me to be defeated, and I might die before this is over, but not at the hands of some haughty bigot or some prude insulted because of a little PDA.

I wasn't going to let anyone tell me how to act, dress, or anything else.

It was liberating beyond words.

The leader screamed, "Hold fire!" to the group, then spun around and punched the foxkin in the face. She collapsed to her knees, blood ran from her nose. He yelled at her, "What the fuck do you think you're doing. If you damaged her, I'll kill you." He kicked her in the stomach several times, then turned back to me, leaving the foxkin curled up on the ground.

He motioned to his men, and they spread out around me, attempting to block my escape. I was quickly surrounded by the bandits, most of whom were male. They can't seem to stop staring. No one had ever looked at me with lust before. Every single man wanted me. I loved it, and I loved my new body.

The foxkin, showing far more intelligence than anyone else, was already crawling for the trees. I popped the last bite of their hard cheese in my mouth and silently chewed. Waiting to see what they would do next.

Their leader swaggered towards me, reaching a hand out, as though he wanted to help me stand up. He said, "A pretty little lizardkin like you should have someone to protect her. I'm sure we can work something out, but only if you're willing to pay the price. If not, you can stay here with them." His voice was heavy with insincere concern. I imagined that he expected me to desperately plead for his protection? Try to earn it with my body? He smelled of deception and deceit. His protection would only last until he finished having his fun. It was worthless, even for those who are weak enough to actually need it.

I imagined some pretty young thing trying desperately to earn my protection. I keep my word, and I protect what's mine, but making her earn that protection would be a lot of fun. Just thinking about it leaves me dripping.

I locked gazes with the foxkin, reached down between my legs, and gently slid my fingers back and forth along my labia. I imagined the foxkins head buried between my legs, desperate eyes staring into mine, knowing her life depended on how well she preformed. After all, she planned on selling me into slavery, and has already tried to kill me with her crossbow.

Suddenly, she turned and ran.

Finishing without her seemed like a waste, so I licked my own tangy-sweet honey from my fingers. I couldn't help but wonder what she would taste like.

A hand grabbed my shoulder, bringing my thoughts back to the present, and the bandits that surrounded me. I opened my eyes to see the bandit leader grinning eagerly. He unbuckled his pants with one hand, while holding me in place with the other. The scent of lust is hardly surprising, but they also smell confused, especially the few women in the group. It wasn't like I did much before deciding to wait on my little foxkin. I guessed they really were that repressed.

I didn't realize I had been ignoring the bandit leader until he hauled back and punched me in the face. Just like he punched the foxkin. I guess he didn't like being ignored. It was time to show them just what they were up against anyway. I didn't bother dodging. My [Dragon Armor] is interesting. I feel the impact, but it's easy to resist, and no damage makes it through. While they stared at my undamaged face in shock, I grabbed the wrist he believed had me trapped with one hand and slowly tightened my grip.

I almost heard his understanding of the true power dynamic suddenly snap into place. He struggled uselessly. First he punched me repeatedly. I ignored it, and continued to slowly grind down. He tried to peel my fingers off his wrist, but I just kept slowly tightening until I shattered bone. He screamed and begged for mercy, so I slid off the wagon to put him out of his misery. I punched him in the face. Putting my back into it was a mistake. His head practically exploded under the impact. Blood, bone, and brains splattered everyone nearby.

They scattered.

Perhaps I shouldn't have done that until I killed more of them. Hunting them down wasn't going to be fun, but everyone that tried to make me a slave will die. With one possible exception. I unsheathed my talons and slashed, leaving two dying men, both clutching at the bloody ruin of their throats. So annoying. It would have just taken a couple minutes to finish them all if I had just stopped them from running. I'm not a tracker, but with my sense of smell, and the overpowering stench of their fear, I was sure I could find all of them.

It took several frustrating hours, but in the end I tracked down, killed, and ate all the bandits. Leaving one foxkin as the lone surviver. Unlike the others, I looked forward to hunting her down.

**You have gained the skill [Tracking]**   
**You have gained the skill [Unarmed Combat]**   
**You have gained a level. (Note: Experience limitation of one level per event triggered.)**


	4. A Hard Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [This chapter is told from a foxkin bandit's point of view.]

My parents were two poor foxkin farmers, but I still had a happy childhood. 

Like most children, I dreamed of becoming an adventurer. Most children see the gold and glory that adventurers enjoy, and dream of having it for themselves. Even as a child, I was different, and I didn't dream of gold and glory like the rest of them. I knew what I wanted. Freedom. Never once did I doubt that adventurers could go everywhere, and do anything they wanted. Adventurers were free as a bird, always going to places I could only imagine. Without the strength to be a [Soldier] it's all but impossible for poor peasant girls like me to become adventurers. I should have ended up apprenticed to someone with a crafting or gathering class, but willful children seem to have a magic of their own.

During harvest, a traveling minstrel spent a week at the village, trading stories for meals, and permission to sleep in our communal barn. One night he told a story about a young man becoming an adventurer, and I learned that fighting in [Dungeons] grants an adventurer class to people that without one. The next day I pretended a stick was a wand, and imagined becoming a wizard or enchanter.

I was such a naive child back then. Head full of childish dreams, I ran away, and joined up with what I thought was a great group of adventurers. It never occurred to me that anything was strange about three middle aged male adventurers taking in a thirteen year old runaway girl.

We traveled to Gravestead, and soon headed into it's [Dungeon]. Once we were alone, my supposed group tried to put a slave collar around my neck. Several skeletons chose that moment to attack, distracting the adventurers, and accidentally giving me the chance to escape. While I hid from both the adventurers, and the monsters, the [Dungeon] granted me the [Rogue] class.

Utterly betrayed, completely alone, surrounded by monsters, and the only exit blocked by the very people that betrayed me, I learned true despair. At first I just hid. Without agility, almost all [Rogue] skills were practically worthless. As hours passed, the adventurers anger grew. They thought I had escaped down one of the side passages, and expected me to give up before the night was out. I was close enough to hear them talk about how they planned to punish me for disobeying them, so I knew surrender wasn't an option.

With nothing left to loose, and the tattered remains of a child's hope, I spliced together a desperate plan. I might die. But, the nightmare the planned to turn my life into was far worse.

Once they setup camp, leaving just one on watch, I used [Stealth], one of the few [Rogue] skills that's based on intelligence, instead of agility, and snuck deeper into the [Dungeon]. Taking as few chances as possible, I carefully scouted the exact route I would take. Hours later I was satisfied.

Standing in an intersection between three tunnels, my pockets filled with a couple dozen small rocks, I dropped [Stealth] and quickly threw two rocks down different side tunnels, attracting the attention of two small packs of zombies. Then I ran the other way. I rounded the next corner, already angled away from the skeletons standing just out of reach, on the other side of the cavern. Just to make sure they followed me, I threw a rock at them as well. I passed three other groups of undead, and made sure they all were running after me.

I tried to run past the adventurers, but the [Warrior] they left on watch easily snatched me up. His laughter and my screams woke up the others.

"I'm the one that caught her, so I get to go first!" He pulled out his dagger and said, "I bet them that I could slice off all the skin between your shoulders and knees in one solid piece."

I stopped struggling, and grinned maniacally at them. "My new friends insist on playing with you first." Dozens of undead rounded the corner, and I was filled with savage joy. I laughed as their confusion turned into terror. He shoved me towards the undead, but I expected the move, and stayed on my feet. With their attention completely focused on the undead, I darted past, and ran down the cavern, leaving the three of them to die. I risked one glance back, after the screaming stopped. The undead were distracted, eating the three large men, so I used [Stealth], and quietly, but triumphantly, left the [Dungeon].

I thought my troubles were over, but the [Adventurers Guild] wouldn't accept me, and the local [Thieves Guild] gave me quite a scar when I tried to join them. No one wanted a [Rogue] with low agility.

After I spending two weeks blindly following the adventuring group I 'joined' as they traveled to Gravestead, I didn't have so much as a general idea how to get back home. I was just a child, and hadn't paid any attention to the roads or the sun. My home was just 'The Village' to me, so I couldn't even ask for directions.

I was a fool.

The [Beggars Guild] saved me. They found me starving on the streets and took me in. Of course, they didn't do it out of altruism, but they were honest. They took their tithe, but never so much as a copper more. Sometimes, when things were really bad, they didn't even take that much. I learned many lessons. Who was likely to give a copper or two. Who would kick me out of their path. And, the most important lesson of all. Never beg from an adventurer.

A few years later, when I started to grow into a woman, and one of the city guards made it clear that if I didn't spread my legs for him, I would disappear. It wasn't pleasant, but then nothing about my life was. After spending about a year under his protection, I overheard him telling a couple other guards about me. Paying one for protection had been more than enough, so I left the city.

I had overheard some of the other beggars talking about a band of bandits. I didn't know exactly where their base was, but I was able to get close enough for them to find me, and after a few days of suspicion, they cautiously welcomed another [Rogue] into their ranks. I knew that would change when they found out how worthless my terrible agility made most of my [Rogue] skills.

So I did what I have always done. I planned for survival. Every time our 'glorious leader' cocked his finger, I spread my legs for him. I took over the chores everyone else hated the most. I cooked, I cleaned, and I spent hours washing their dirty clothes every day. But, it worked. By the time they found out, no one suggested kicking me out. For the first time since becoming a [Rogue], I slept in relative safety. Sometimes I even had a full belly. Enduring our 'glorious leaders' attention, and the bands half-hearted derision, was a small price to pay for that.

Robbing merchant caravans was the only part of my life I enjoyed. The band thought I was a fool for becoming a [Rogue], but I was one of them, even if I was the weakest. It was closer to being an adventurer than anything else I'd experienced. We were bandits, and we were fighting caravan guards instead of monsters, and our treasure came from merchants, not a [Dungeon], but it was more than I had ever had before. The year I've been been with them has been far better than my life as a beggar.

One morning, bacon was sizzling in my pan when our scout returned, talking excitedly about a beautiful lizardkin he found on the way back. At first I ignored the conversation. If our 'glorious leader' had a pretty new slave to play with, at least I'd get a break, and after he tired of her, we would all split the profit. It's not a pretty business, but it's part of the price I pay for survival.

When he mentioned that he found the lizardkin relaxing in the river, the same freezing cold river I fetch water from several times a day, I knew something was very wrong.

"Wait." I interrupted, "If she was happily soaking in that river, then she isn't a lizardkin. She can't be, they are cold-blooded. Their are only two possibilities. She is either a demoness, or some other monster that looks like a lizardkin." Of course, they didn't believe me, and I knew better than to try to force the issue, so I dropped it, and left the conversation. I couldn't help my muttered complaints, but I kept them quiet enough that I wasn't overheard.

While they prepared to leave, I diced the bacon, dumped it into the soup, then banked the fire. It should keep well enough until we come back. We all headed back to where the scout saw her bathing in the river. I kept my loaded crossbow ready. Perhaps they would finally learn to listen to my suggestions after this.

She was gone.

We searched, but couldn't find any trace of her. Both the riverside and the road were clean. I didn't let my guard down, even when we couldn't find a single lizardkin track in either location. Our 'glorious leader' and the scout argued loudly all the way back to our temporary camp. Can't they sense it? An apex predator is nearby, and they keep shouting at each other. Fools.

When we approached our camp, a new scent on the wind sent a shiver down my back. Suddenly, my fur bristled, and the thundering of my heart almost deafened me.

She was there.

Impossibly beautiful, the so-called 'lizardkin' just sat on our cart. Without a stitch of clothing. She wasn't even trying to cover her shame. My body seemed to freeze. She bit off half of our last block of cheese, silently chewing, eyes flickering back-and-forth through the band, dismissing all of us as though we weren't worth her time.

She laughed.

A joyous sound, that seemed completely out of place. Almost without thinking about it, I fired my crossbow. The bolt bounced off her, and she smiled at me. I amused her. I knew I was about to die.

Then pain exploded, and I found myself on the ground. For a moment I though she had somehow hit me from her seat on the cart, then I realized our 'glorious leader' had punched me. He started kicking me in the stomach, and I curled into a ball, trying to protect myself. I was being punished for trying to save our lives. Why couldn't they see? Did they think I missed? I didn't. The bolt just bounced off her side, as though she was formed out of solid stone. 

They left me curled up on the ground. I crawled slowly towards the trees, trying to keep my pace steady and unhurried, but unwilling to turn my back on her. Never run from an apex predator. If only we had another beastkin in the band, one they actually respected, we might have been able to convince them.

They circled around her, like a flock of buzzards, confidant that they had everything under control. Our 'glorious leader' gave his normal spiel, offering protection from his men if they submitted to him. Normally, I hated this part, but this time I can't look away.

She ignored him.

When our eyes met, it felt as though we were the only entities in the world. Just the predator and myself. I couldn't force myself to break eye contact. It felt as though she would attack the instant I blinked. Her gaze burned with a heat that I didn't understand. One hand slid between her legs, not to cover herself up, but to stroke at her sex. She licked her lips hungrily.

I broke.

Ignoring my instincts, I just ran. The crossbow had done nothing to her, and I could only think of one weapon that could kill her. Keeping my goal firmly in mind, I ran for our main base. Behind me, our 'glorious leader' started screaming. First with anger, then in fear, and finally in agony. A loud impact cuts his scream short. More people scream.

Faster. Run faster!

After returning to our fort, I scrambled to the only room that offered any hope. It had our single siege weapon, a ballista that our 'glorious leader' planned to sell. I frantically leveraged it around, so that it faced the door. I cranked it back, grunting with the effort, even though I used a long lever to turn the crank. Once it was ready, I opened the trapdoor that led to the underground cavern we kept our loot in, and retrieved the single enchanted ballista bolt we had, and I armed the ballista with it.

If she comes after me, I'm as ready as I'll ever be. I just wish I had a backup plan. Or an escape route. The underground cavern was just that, a single chamber. The trapdoor was the only entrance or exit.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [WARNING: Ciarra isn't an impossibly innocent and bland Isekai self-insert, or a brooding anti-hero. She's a villain. She's amoral and a sexual sadist, with her own twisted version of morality and honor. This story isn't for children.]

All the others had just ran away, with little thought and no planning. The foxkins trail led me directly to an old abandoned fort. Her lingering scent carries hope and resolve. Fading scents from many bandits covered the area, all of them were familiar from just a few hours ago. I guess they had turned this into their hideout.

Following the foxkin's scent, I closed in on her, stalking my prey into it's lair. The trail ended in front of a old wooden door. She had found a defensible position. A room with stone walls to protect her back. That made sense. Leaning against the wall, I inhaled deeply, nose all but touching the door jamb. The scent of her fear was practically intoxicating. If the trace of moisture and moss in the air is any indication, she also has an escape route.

I whispered, "Clever girl," with a smile pulling at my lips. Then knocked loudly.

The foxkin shouted, "I left our valuables in the courtyard. Please, just take them! It's all yours. Just let me live."

My prey's voice carries a sweet little tremble that brought the world to life.

I snapped the lock and pushed the door open. I expected to find it blocked, but it opened easily. The foxkin cowered behind a massive ballista. It was already loaded, and aimed at the door. She yanked down on the release pin, and the ballista bolt slammed into me. Pain blossomed, and I yelped in surprise. Thankfully, it didn't pierce my scales, and was deflected to the side.

We both stared at the hole it left in the floor. The yard long bolt was deeply buried in solid stone. It had penetrated so deeply that I could only see the bolt when sparks and flashes of lightning popped and crackled off it in the darkness. I hadn't expected a siege weapon, especially one with such powerfully enchanted ammunition.

Almost as though we were actors in a play, we both looked up at the same time, and our eyes met. She crouched behind the ballista, and I stood in the doorway. Between us was an improvised barricade of furniture. A few feet away from her was an open trapdoor. Judging from the scent of moss and moisture coming from it, I presumed it was her escape route.

I couldn't help it.

I growled.

It was the deep rumbling growl of a primordial dragon.

Furniture rattled, and dust filled the air, as the room vibrated along with my growl. I placed one hand on each side of the door-frame, and shifted forms, shoving against the stone with my full strength. As always, my physical stats were multiplied many times over from shifting into [Dragon Form]. With an explosive crack, the wall split open. The foxkin froze, eyes wide with terror.

I ignored the crumbling stone bouncing off my hide.

"Such a smart little foxkin. That actually stung."

I rubbed the impact point with one massive clawed hand. It was hard to believe that she actually managed to hurt me.

The foxkin seemed to come back to herself, and darted for the trapdoor, but I was ready. Like a striking snake I lunged forward, and snapped her up in my jaws. Holding her carefully between my teeth, I gently and firmly trapped her against the roof of my mouth with my tongue. I carried her back to the courtyard.

My foxkins legs stuck out of my mouth, and she kicked and struggled, but we both knew she couldn't escape. When we arrived, I spat my foxkin onto the ground. Terrified, she tried to shrink away.

I growled in warning.

She settled down and stared up at me wide-eyed with a mixture of fear, helplessness, and defiance.

I shifted back into humanoid form, and pulled my foxkin to her feet.

"Don't move." I said, and slowly walked around her. For the first time, I had a chance to really examine one of the non-human, yet still humanoid races.

She was an anthropomorphic fox, not a woman with animal ears and a tail stuck to her.

Reddish-orange and white fur covered her, just like a classic red fox. She had large fox-like ears, and a beautiful bushy tail. Her facial features were a blend of human and fox, from her almost human eyes down to her long snout and black nose. Most of the rest of her looked mostly human, if you ignored all the fur, and her distinctly animal like feet.

She definitely wasn't an animal. She was a person.

A deep ragged scar ran from the center of her forehead, down the side of her snout, then cut back up along her cheek, and ended as a deep notch in her ear. It looked almost like someone had carved a large "V" into her face. One leg started between her eyes, and the other ended in her right ear.

Still, she was beautiful in her own way, and I looked forward to seeing the rest of her.

Silence hung in the air as I continued to circle, spiraling closer and closer to my foxkins trembling body with each pass. Her ears swiveled as she tracked my footsteps. The heady scent of fear grew stronger as the silence deepened. I finally stopped directly behind her back, invading my foxkin's personal space, almost close enough to touch.

My foxkin gasped when I reached around and ran a talon across her neck in an unmistakable threat that transcended cultures. My tail threaded up her side and wrapped around her throat. I caressed her face, and ran my fingers through her fur. Breathing deeply, I nuzzled her neck, reveling in each terrified whimper. Her scent was intoxicating, and her fur was incredible. Everywhere with short hair, like her cheek, felt soft and velvety. Places with longer hair, like the back of her neck, felt as smooth as silk.

I sliced one side of her tunic with a talon, reached in and started running my fingers through the short fur that covered her front, I reached up until I firmly cupped one of her breasts in my hand, and pulled her body against mine, trapping her against me. She squirmed, and I eased my talons out, just enough to scratch the curve of her shivering flesh.

She froze.

With my free hand I sliced open the other side of her tunic, and reached in. This time I didn't travel up. I reached down. She tried to stop me by pressing her thighs together, but I responded to resistance by slowly extending my talons. She was forced to choose, and her legs parted, giving me access. I didn't enter, that pleasure was reserved for later. I just cupped her sex, and lifted her off the ground, completely enveloping her in my arms.

Through [Sexual Insight], I knew that once she accepted that part of herself, she would enjoy the way I dominated her almost as much as I did, but that was just a potential future, and it wouldn't save her today.

Today she was just a bandit and slaver that had tried to kill me.

I was only giving her a chance because clever women were sexy, and hunting her had been fun.

"I destroy anyone that attempts to kill me or turn me into a slave. All of your companions are dead. Eaten. You are the only survivor."

Her fear peaked, and then turned into despair. "Please..." She tried to speak, and I tightened my coils around her throat, choking off her voice. I waited a full minute, mentally counting out the seconds one by one.

"Ssssh." I whispered in her ear. "They were all fools, and I know you are smarter than they were. I might have a use for you, but only if you are… trainable."

I headed for the crumbling remains of an old stone building, dragging her along behind me with my tail. I used it to force her to her knees in front of me.

"Fail, and I'll end your life quickly and painlessly. Probably by snapping your pretty little neck and swallowing you whole." Tail muscles flexed, just a little, as I slowly constricted tighter around her neck. Giving her a visceral reminder she didn't really need. The scent of desperation and fear was almost overpowering. Good. She understood.

My old human self would have been horrified, but I wasn't that person anymore. My past belief in equality and justice was completely ludicrous. Yes, justice was a good thing, but even in my old world, it was rare. In this world, it's practically unheard of. Except in stories. A peasant doesn't receive justice when their liege lord abuses them. And equality? Don't make me laugh. Only in a peaceful society do people have the luxury of even attempting to treat everyone as equals. I sure didn't receive either one in my old life, and that was on a peaceful world.

Oddly enough, if this wasn't justice, it was closer to it than I had ever been before. But, I only have this justice because I took it for myself. Being powerful enough to destroy those who wrong you is the only form of justice that actually exists.

I was immeasurably more powerful than her, so she wasn't my equal. If she really had been equal, I couldn't have defeated her. She was my prey, and captured prey only exists to fill their predators needs. That was the most fundamental truth of life. From the smallest microbe to the largest monster. That's how life always works in the long run.

My foxkin kneeled between my legs, looking up at me, both her eyes and her scent were filled with uncertainty. I trapped her eyes with mine, and used my tail to pull her close. Each slightly panicked breath puffed against my pussy. Her humiliation flared, overpowering the rest of her emotional scents. "Keep your eyes on mine. Explore my body with your muzzle and tongue."

My foxkin parted her lips, and a long wet tongue slid out. I smiled at the sight. It should have been obvious, but somehow I had still expected a human style tongue. 

Every pussy is a beautifully different snowflake, and from the outside mine looked like the reptile I resembled. The curve of my pubic mound was covered with nearly microscopic scales that stopped just inside my outer lips, or labia majora if you wanted to be technical. They formed a slit between my legs, and everything else was safely tucked away inside it.

She licked over and around my slit, it felt nice, but she hadn't even tried exploring inside. Tiring of her clumsy touch, I decided that the best way to teach her would be a demonstration. After my first climax, she would better understand how to please me.

I grabbed the back of her head, forced her muzzle deep into my crotch, and buried her face between my legs. I used her as a living dildo. Looking into her eyes while I ground against her soon had me panting with pleasure. At first she tried to cooperate, but a few minutes later her scent had changed to pure panic. It didn't take long for me to climax. In fact, that was probably the fastest one I had ever had. Something about using her as a literal sex toy had set me aflame. Even though it happened quickly, it was still the most satisfying orgasm I'd ever had. I ground against her face a few more times, then relaxed my grip.

She slid out of me and fell backwards, head bouncing off the ground with a thunk. Huh. She was unconscious. For a moment I was confused, but then I realized that she hadn't been able to breathe. A human woman would have been able to catch the occasional breath, at least through her nose. But my foxkin couldn't breathe through a nose buried all the way inside me. I'm a little impressed that she didn't bite me during her panic. Not that she could have hurt me. My [Dragon Armor] would have protected me. It's a good thing I wasn't a masochist.

I casted [Heal] on her.

Once she was conscious again, and had recovered enough to listen, I explained the problem, and then took a few minutes to go over simple female anatomy. She was a grown woman, and I had to explain where and what her vagina and clitoris were. She had no idea what an orgasm was, except for some vague idea that their 'white seed' coming out made men feel good. I didn't understand how she could be so ignorant.

When I allowed her to try again, her touch was still clumsy, but her technique had improved.

As my pleasure built, I roughly gripped one of the foxkin's ears in my hand. She tried to pull away, but I didn't give her a choice. [Sexual Insight] told me it wasn't sexual, but it was beyond intimate. Something rarely shared, even between the closest of lovers. I'm sure my foxkin hasn't allowed anyone to touch her ears since childhood. I can smell the silent debate as outrage and anger dance in the air along with my foxkin's fear and resignation. After a long moment of hesitation she gets back to work.

Without [Sexual Insight] I wouldn't have understood why beastkin reacted so strongly to their ears being touched. To put it in human terms, it was like someone pressing their thumbs against your closed eye lids. Few would willingly place themselves in a position where they were just one push, especially an accidental one, from permanently loosing a primary sense.

I used my grip on her ear to control the pace. Humiliation spiked every time I used her ear to control her. I kept her face buried between my legs for a couple hours. She only managed to give me a few orgasms. I've given myself better, even in my human days.

When I stood back up and looked down at her, I could see the worry in her eyes. She knew I was disappointed. She didn't realize that the first one was had been worth her life all by itself.

"You tried." I said. "You learned. You improved. I'm satisfied." Her scents settled down into a mixture of hope, fear, and resignation.

She watched me nervously. "What… what happens now?" she asked.

"Before we continue, tell me about yourself. Where were you born? How did you become a rogue with your agility? How did you become a bandit? Where did that scar come from?" I forced her to tell me her life's story. When she explained where her [Rogue] class came from, I laughed. She tried to lie several times, mostly out of embarrassment, but her scent always gave her away. She really hated admitting that she had prostituted herself for protection. Not just once, but repeatedly. Almost on a daily basis. I pointed out that she had no reason to feel ashamed. When the choice was between sex and death, it's not prostitution. It's survival.

She seemed to feel a little better, at least until I continued.

"Besides, I don't care who used your body before. When we finish, it will either be mine, or you will be dead. Either way, no one will ever touch you again without my permission."

Somehow she didn't find that comforting.


	6. Oathbinding

"Either swear a magically binding oath to become my loyal... pet, or become my afternoon snack."

My foxkin's shoulders slumped, and she raised a hand to her neck, and said, "Like a slave collar?" I shrugged. I didn't know how they worked, so I couldn't answer her question.

Oaths sworn on my name are naturally binding, and I explained that to her. Instead of confusing her, I let her think I had the [Oathbinding] ability. There is power in names. As an eternal, like the greater fey and true devils, the web of primal mana that encapsulates the world was called to my name.

Misleading someone in an honor bound agreement is contemptible, but I wasn't misleading her about the oath, just about what enforced it.

With careful and precise wording, I explained exactly what being my 'loyal pet' meant.

Being loyal meant that she would never betray or deceive me, and her own hopes, dreams, and desires, were subservient to mine. It wouldn't force her to become a mindlessly obedient puppet, so she could disobey as much as she wanted, but being able to disobey has less to do with freedom than most people imagined.

Being my pet would only bind her in two ways. Like any good pet, she would come when I called, and since pets couldn't own anything, everything of hers, would belong to me. Including herself.

"I don't want to die." She whispered in a trembling voice.

"Then swear. It's just six words. 'I swear to be Ciarra's loyal pet.', and you will survive." It was cold, even to my own ears.

Silence stretched, but I knew which way she would leap. She was a survivor, and she would see the completely one sided oath for what it really was. Her only chance at survival.

The sweet scent of her outrage and humiliation slowly filled the air. It seemed thick enough to choke on before she finally surrendered, and said. "I swear to be Ciarra's loyal pet." The oathbinding flared into existence, and settled into place. It's terms were simple and clear, and exactly as they should be. 

Oathbindings include an instinctive and complete understanding of all oaths involved. As the oathbinder, all oaths were interpreted through me. Her eyes widened as she learned exactly what I considered a loyal pet to be, and what she had bound herself to become, but my explanation had been clear and thorough. She wasn't really surprised. No one would ever be able to truthfully claim that I tricked them into an oathbinding.

Then I began to strip her. She flushed like a schoolgirl getting her first kiss. Her eyes darted to mine, just for a moment, then jerked away, and carefully looked anywhere and everywhere. Except towards me. Resignation, helpless anger, fear, and humiliation. They radiated off my pet, bound together with a thread of defiance, and I drunk them in like a fine wine.

After the last piece of clothing fell to the ground, I said, "Pets should have names, and yours is obvious, both as a female fox, and as a sexy woman. Vixen." She actually growled. She obviously hated the name. Unfortunately for her, I loved it.

I reached around to the back of Vixen's head and dug my fingers into her hair, and forced her to face me. My sensitive tail reached up my foxkin's leg and gently brushed against her pussy, then continued up to her head. I thrust my tail inside her mouth, and twisted and rolled between her cheeks and tongue until it was nice and damp. Then I slid back down and slowly forced my way inside.

Her eyes darted around, like a trapped animal, never meeting my gaze, never holding still, never looking anywhere that might catch a glimpse of my tail flexing inside her. I could have been much rougher, but had elected to be gentle this time.

Such lovely reactions. I gently began to move inside her. I wasn't limited to simple in-and-out thrusts, and my tail was far more dexterous than any fingers. I could flex it, changing thickness and texture, like a body builder flexing their arms. I could roll it back on itself for truly massive girth. My tail was even "ribbed for her pleasure." A dick couldn't even come close to my prehensile tail. 

[Flesh Shaping] flared, pulsing in time with [Sexual Insight]. I hadn't realized the abilities were synergistic. [Flesh Shaping] suggested a relatively minor modification. Several seconds later, Vixen's body was far more sensitive, and would now have stronger and longer lasting orgasms.

Vixen tried to resist, but she didn't have a chance. I understood exactly what made her tick, and my tail was already becoming slick with her natural lubrication. [Sexual Insight] gave me a complete understanding of her mental and physical state, at least in relation to anything erotic. It was incredible. It had only been a few minutes, and she was panting with need. The scent of her arousal filled the air.

I slid my hands up her stomach, cupped her breasts, and gently teased at my foxkin's nipples, moving in time with the pleasure that filled her. I knew exactly where and how to touch and move. I slid one hand down between her legs, and stroked her folds. My tail moved inside her, while my fingers played on the outside, working their way to, and then against her nub. My supernatural knowledge of her body told me everything. I knew how each touch would effect her.

Normally, I would have taken my time, and focused on having fun, but I wanted to use her first time to make a point she would never forget. And drive it home with a sledgehammer.

She was clueless. She didn't even know what an orgasm was an hour ago, and had certainly never had one herself. I forced her to hit her peak, and an overpowering orgasm ripped away Vixen's control, and left her convulsing amidst whining yips of pleasure. With just a few movements, I pushed her even higher, and held her there. Without [Sexual Insight] and [Flesh Shaping] I couldn't have kept it going, but between them I had perfect knowledge of her mind and body. Long seconds passed, each one blasting her body with more pleasure than she normally experienced in a year. I was relentless, enjoying both the challenge, and how she quivered helplessly in my arms. Seconds turned into minutes, and finally minutes turned into hours, and I held her at the pinnacle of pleasure the entire time.

After sunset, I finally relaxed, and allowed her exhausted body to collapse to the ground, like a puppet with her strings cut. I looked down at my mostly unconscious foxkin, her body still quivering and twitching with aftershocks of pleasure, gasping for air, with a self-satisfied smirk on my lips.

I left her there, and searched the keep for a bedroom. It had been a long day, and I had eaten enough that I wasn't hungry. The bed I found belonged to the bandit leader. I already knew Vixen had been one of his bed-toys, and judging from the scents in the room, he had used her just a couple days ago. It made me thankful I hadn't used my mouth on her, and I resolved to thoroughly scrub her down in the morning. I ripped the dirty sheets off the mattress, threw them on the floor, and headed back to the courtyard for Vixen. The clean laundry that had been left out to dry would serve as adequate sheets for tonight.

I used their clothing to make a little nest on the bed, then stretched Vixen's body out on it. She was still so overwhelmed with toe-curling pleasure that she wasn't aware of her surroundings.

I wondered how many changes I could make to her body with [Flesh Shaping], so I focused on the skill to learn more.

> Name: Flesh Shaping  
Range: Touch  
Rank: 10
> 
> Grants absolute knowledge of targets body.  
Grants the ability to permanently alter targets body.
> 
> May not change species of target.
> 
> First Time Bonus:  
Increase all stats by [Rank] * 5  
Increase one stat by [Rank] * 5  
Copy one [Special Ability] from caster to target.
> 
> Ciarra,  
  
I created this unique ability just for you. Mold your harem girls to match your fantasies, then turn them into powerful allies for your dungeon crawls.  
  
You OWE me,  
Kolra, Goddess of Domination and Control.

Kolra was right. I owed her a great deal. From the beginning, she had given far more than our bargain required. This wasn't an accident, and she didn't do it on a whim. What was she hoping to gain?

I had already agreed to be her champion, so that wasn't it. What could I give her that she didn't already have? In the end, I could only think of one thing.

My loyalty.

Snarling, I forced my way through the wall, spread my wings, and climbed into the sky. I was incandescent with rage. How dare she! I roared at the night. I hadn't agreed to this. No eternal had ever given their loyalty to a god, or even another eternal. We often made deals and bargains, and at times we were forced into service, much like my original bargain with Kolra, but that was always temporary.

Actual loyalty is another matter entirely.

Gradually I brought myself back from the edge. I was still angry, but had regained some control. Eventually I managed to relax enough to think clearly again. I returned to the keep, and wasn't surprised to find Kolra waiting in the courtyard.

Our eyes locked. Two apex predators on the verge of combat. I wanted to kill her. Could I last long enough to taste her blood? Just because I couldn't win, didn't mean I couldn't make her pay for the insult. It might be worth dying for. I wanted to try.

Damn the consequences.

Before reincarnating I would have. My dragon's pride would have come before everything else. I wanted to spit on her 'gift'. It would be simple enough. All I had to do was ignore my [Flesh Shaping] ability, and I wouldn't owe her a thing.

Damn her.

But, it wasn't just [Flesh Shaping] was it? Her first gift was this body. Her second was [Sexual Insight]. I haven't used her third gift, [Empathic Sensuality] yet. I planned on saving it for later. [Flesh Shaping] was really her forth gift. I just couldn't give it up. I had gained desires, hopes, and dreams from my human past life. And Kolra had given me the ability to make them all come true.

Damn it.

Just her first gift was enough to fulfill her side of our oath. Everything else was an unsettled debt between the two of us. If I choose to keep any of them, then I owed her my loyalty. 

Damn my honor.

My entire future hung in the balance. I had to be very careful. Her 'gifts' were only useful if I was free to pursue my own plans. I wasn't willing to spend my life on her schemes. It was pointless, if I couldn't enjoy my pets, and my dreams

Fortunately, a simple oathbinding would solve this problem with minimal risk. I would protect myself, show Kolra exactly what I expected from her, satisfy my honor, and best of all, motivate her to continue giving me gifts. All with a single oathbinding. Unfortunately, none of that made submitting any easier.

As powerful as she was, my [Dragon Form] dwarfed her. It was the hardest thing I had ever done. From the tip of my tail to the bottom of my jaw, I laid down before her. It was as close as this form could come to kneeling. Or bearing my throat.

"I swear, on my own name, to serve loyally, as long as you continue to support my hopes, dreams, and desires."

I felt sick, and tasted bile, but was able to accept this much.

When I finished speaking, the oathbinding flared into existence, and settled into place.

Because I made the oath on my own name, I was bound to my interpretation. Not hers. She would be able to see that I don't believe loyally requires obedience, and she would know exactly what I required from her, and that I wasn't demanding further gifts, just protecting myself from many subtle ways she could have betrayed me. She would also know that as long as she supported me, I wouldn't betray or deceive her, and my own hopes, dreams, and desires, would be subservient to hers.

Kolra strode forward, running a hand along my jagged teeth, then the side of my head, and down my neck. She leaned against my shoulder, and traced the outline of my scales with her hand. We were both comfortable with silence, and neither of us felt the need to speak. I turned my head so I could study her. Even though I knew she was tall for a woman, she seemed small and weak against my bulk. Her eyes always gave her away, anyone could see that she was as much of an apex predator as I was.

Everything had changed. The difference was subtle, but critical.

It began to rain. Of course, it didn't fall on Kolra, and I had never cared about the weather.

Kolra said, "This was fun. I think I'm going to keep you." Then she patted me on the shoulder, and walked away. As she faded into another plane of existence, her voice echoed through my mind. "I'll send you a few interesting prospects." 

Then she was gone.

I returned to the bedroom. Apparently, I had been so enraged earlier, that I tore a dragon sized hole in the wall. When had I shifted? It didn't really make a difference.

I turned back to the bed where my foxkin's still unconscious body stretched out.

I had already planned on turning Vixen into my assassin, and she needed to look the part. If I only cared about how effective she was, I would have been better off making her look bland and uninteresting. But that wasn't what I planned to do.

Back when I was human, I was an artist that specialized in erotic commissions. I had spent over two decades designing beautiful characters. It didn't take long for me to come up with the perfect look. Graceful, deadly, and sexy. She would be my little foxkin ninja.

I stroked my fingers along her body while concentrating on the first change I wanted to make. Small and lethal. Power flowed from me, and she slowly began to shrink. I stopped at 3' 3", or 100cm. I wanted her to be tiny, but deadly. She still looked like a woman. I made her short, not childish.

Next, I turned her reddish-orange and white fur to black and silver-gray. It was as though my hand was a paintbrush. Every stroke of my fingers converted her fur to it's new coloring.

I could have stopped there, but she was my sex toy.

Slightly asymmetrical breasts were easily fixed. Then I increased their size. Just because I could. Nothing all that big, I didn't want something cartoonishly oversized, but I wanted plenty to play with. Truly impressed by how [Flesh Shaping] made the seemingly impossible happen, I paused to play with her new bust. They felt and looked completely natural, even though I knew they should have needed support.

Moving on, I fixed her scar and all her other minor imperfections, then sculpted her figure until I was satisfied. Time flew by as I carefully worked. I didn't stop until she was as close to perfect as I could make her.

**[Domination & Submission] - Give this prim and proper elven mage a taste of Vixen, and she will sell her soul for more.**  
**[The Princess & The Dragon] - Carry off this human princess, she dreams of being taken. Roughly. Painfully.**  
**[Playing In The Dark] - A dark elven enchanter has a talent for making toys, and a ruthless debt collector knocking at her door.**  
**[Leather & Lace] - Vampires made an offer this Werewolf and her lover couldn't refuse.**

So that was what Kolra meant by 'interesting prospects'. I'm not sure which one I should do first.

I pulled up her status, wincing at her terrible agility. Thankfully, I could do something about that. [Flesh Shaping] was far more than the ultimate cosmetic surgery. I used the first time bonuses to bump up all her stats, and then gave her a copy of what was obviously the most powerful special ability I had, [Powerful Existence]. To my surprise, it was retroactive, and her available character points doubled.

Next I turned my attention to her abilities. I laughed when I saw the [Cunnilingus] ability. She really had learned it. I saw no reason to spend her points anywhere else, so I increased it's rank to four. I couldn't wait to find out how much of a difference that made.

My little pet looked perfect. She had the stats of a demigod, and the abilities of a mistress.

> Name: Vixen  
Level: 4  
Race: Foxkin  
Gender: Female  
Class: Rogue
> 
> Character Points: 8 => 16 => 2
> 
> Ability Scores:  
Strength: 2 => 52  
Agility: 1 => 101  
Toughness: 4 => 54  
Mind: 10 => 60  
Will: 9 => 59
> 
> Special Abilities:  
[Powerful Existence] - Character points gained on level up are doubled.  
[Sneak I] - You are able to hide where others couldn't  
[Backstab I] - Surprise attacks deal extra damage.  
[Resilient I] - You are able to endure harsh conditions.  
[Beg I] - You are skilled at begging  
[Dagger I] - You are skilled in fighting with daggers  
[Club I] - You are skill in fighting with clubs  
Rank Up => [Cunnilingus IV] - You are skilled in preforming oral sex on women.  


I curled up with Vixen, making an improvised nest out of the clean clothes. I spooned against her, using Vixen as something between the "little spoon" and a bed pillow. Both my arms wrapped around her. One hand cupped a breast, and the other rested on her stomach. Vixen's bare butt pressed against my tummy, and I allowed her still unconscious head to rest on my arm. I quickly grew to appreciate my toughness stat. My arm wasn't falling asleep. Sometimes it's the little things that you appreciate the most.

Completely content, and looking forward to the morning, I started to drift off to sleep.

"Ciarra!" Kolra's shout echoed in my head, instantly bringing me fully awake. "Those bastards must have found out about you. The council that rules this game world just updated the rules. Draconic abilities are disabled in dungeons and the labyrinth." She paused. "I'm sorry."

Every single powerful combat ability I have comes from my draconic side. I've been crippled, both offensively and defensively, at least in dungeons. My demigod abilities were all geared for sex, but all the other champions would have combat abilities as overpowered as mine.

With a single stroke I had been changed from the most powerful champion... to the weakest.

I shivered.

The goal of the [Great Game] is to defeat the labyrinth. So I would be spending a great deal of my time in dungeons and the labyrinth. Participation wasn't optional.

At least I still had my full power outside of them.

Hours later, I fell into an exhausted slumber. I had a plan, or at least the general outline of one.

So much for spending tomorrow playing with my pet.


	7. Leaving the Fort

Vixen arched against me, moaning quietly in the dark. Struggling against exhaustion, I forced my eyes open with a yawn. Time passed as I slowly woke up. _I've never been a morning person._ Idly stroking my fingers through her fur, I reached around to pull her against me, only to find matted wet fur where her side touched the bed. _Did she wet the bed?_ For a moment I was disgusted, but then I realized my mistake. _Not pee, lubrication._ The thick slimy mucous was just confirmation of her arousal.

Vixen whispered. "No, not again," then spasmed, every muscle locking tight. Arching against me again. _A climax?_ She whispered between ragged pants, "Goddess, what have you done to me? THAT keeps happening." Squirming slightly, Vixen silently wept, radiating a nearly overwhelming scent of lust. _Another one? She isn't masturbating._

_Perhaps this is a side effect from yesterdays orgasm?_ I activated [Flesh Shaping] and studied her. _Yes, that's what did it. Orgasms normally only last a few seconds to less than a minute. I made hers last hours. Long past the breaking point. Might as well have been a powerful drug. An orgasm overdose, and these aftershocks are just withdraw symptoms._

She whispered. “Yesterday… Please, it keeps happening. I can’t take anymore. You… broke me. And... fixed me? I think? I don't feel clumsy anymore. How did you do it? Why?"

Like everyone who isn't a [Priest] or [Priestess], she couldn't see her own character sheet. _I'm not surprised she knows. I'll reveal her character sheet later. Her reaction will be entertaining. Especially when she gets a look at herself. Such lovely changes, but she literally looks like a different person, and would only come up to her old bodies waist. The only reason she hasn't realized yet, is because she's laying down in the dark._

Just before I licked her nectar from my fingers, I remembered about him. _Scrubbing every trace of her past partners away is worth getting up early._ I rolled out of bed and tucked Vixen under my arm, ignoring her struggles and complaints, I carried her away.

The horse trough would make a reasonable bathtub, and it was already next to the well._ Looks like it hasn't been cleaned in months._ Scrubbing it clean wasn't pleasant, but Vixen's occasional orgasm provided a welcome distraction. Then I had a brilliant idea, and used [Water Manipulation] to scrub it down with powerful jets of water. _Not bad, but I think I can do better._ I added sand to the water, and tried again._ Well. That worked._ I had accidentally sliced through the side of the trough while scrubbing it clean.

Using [Water Manipulation], I filled the trough up with fresh water and climbed in, taking Vixen with me. Ignoring her struggles, and loud shrieks at the freezing water. I used jets of water to scrub every inch of myself clean, then I held Vixen down, and carefully blasted every inch of her body, both inside and out, until I was satisfied that she was completely clean.

I pulled the shivering and exhausted foxkin out, she had finally given up on protesting. I used [Flesh Shaping] for a deep understanding of her exact physical condition. _Good. She is completely clean. Unfortunately, the aftershocks are settling down. Such a shame, I loved the way she writhed and moaned. Especially when I lingered between her legs, causing her to suffer through several aftershocks, while I blasted water inside her._ She was bruised and scrubbed raw. _Even her increased toughness wasn't enough to stop [Water Manipulation] once I started using sand to scrub her clean. Interesting._ Using [Heal], I repaired her body.

_The first step to winning the great game is becoming an adventurer. Once I'm an adventurer, I can form groups, and share my experience with my pets. Leaving my lair with nothing was a lesson I've taken to heart. This time I'll be properly prepared, and take everything I need with me._

Belatedly, I remembered she had asked a few questions earlier.

"I almost forgot to answer your earlier questions. Yes, it's happening because of yesterday. The aftershocks of pleasure have already mostly stopped, and you are my sexy little assassin. So yes, I fixed your stats."

Only a [Priest] or [Priestess] can spend character points, or view character sheets, so I brought hers up, and shared it with her. Her jaw dropped, and she collapsed to the ground in complete and utter shock. "I also made some changes to your body." She was still gaping in shock when I headed into the forest without saying another word.

* * *

_Monsters taste far better than lesser creatures, probably because of the traces of mana in their flesh._ I ignored deer, rabbits, and even the occasional bear_. It's time to enjoy a real feast. I'd love another Greater Polar Bear, but I haven't seen one since I left my lair._ Several hours later, I scented prey, and smiled. It had destroyed an old stone home, flattened the walls, and pushed the broken stone into the shallows of a meandering river. _Moss covered stones sitting in a few inches of water make a surprisingly beautiful lair. Nothing like the cave I expected to find._ Unlike the lesser monsters, the Greater Forest Drake knew how dangerous I was as soon as it picked up my scent. At first it tried to run, but I followed. A few casts of [Holy Smite] crippled it. I stalked forward, still casting, and ended it's life on the fifth cast.

**You have gained a level. (Note: Experience limitation of one level per event triggered.)**

It was time to spend some character points. [Storage Magic] is far to useful for me to continue as I had been. _Either I upgrade [Storage Magic], or I leave some gold here. As long as I don't feed in dragon form, that's at least a month's worth of food for the two of us. Having a place to store supplies and equipment outside of time is nearly priceless. [Holy Smite] is strong for it's rank, at least with my stats, but it took far too many casts to bring the drake down. [Water Manipulation] has amazing potential. Just remember what happened when used jet of sandy water._ In the end, I decided to leave [Holy Smite] at rank one, but I upgraded the other two all the way up to rank four.

**Upgraded [Water Manipulation I] to [Water Manipulation IV]. Cost: 14 Character Points.**  
**Upgraded [Storage Magic III] to [Storage Magic IV]. Cost: 8 Character Points.**

My expanded [Storage Magic] had room for the Greater Forest Drake with plenty of room left over for provisions.

* * *

I pulled the Greater Forest Drake from storage, and left it in the courtyard while I tracked down Vixen. A complicated mix of emotional scents lead me to her. She looked like a child wearing her oversized mothers clothes. Staring at herself in a small mirror, Vixen stroked where the scar once ran across her muzzle. Our eyes met, and an explosion of awe threaded with deep frustration and fear filled the room. _I love being able to smell emotions. Her awe smells sweet, like a candied apple._ Vixen seems overwhelmed, and as skittish as a timid deer.

Vixen said, "I was the most useless rogue in existence, but now… My stats are incredible! And [Powerful Existence]? It outright DOUBLES character points. I'm only level four, and I'm already the strongest [Rogue] I've ever seen. I wish you had made me taller, but that's a small price to pay for fixing that scar, and making me so beautiful.

"After all of that, you gave me an ability from the [Prostitute] class, and then spent almost all my character points on it! How could you do something so stupid!" by the end, she was shouting in frustration.

Furious, I growled, then lunged forward and grabbed her by the neck. She screamed. _Pets should treat their owners with respect, and certainly shouldn't yell at them. Lesson time._ With her increased toughness, she wasn't nearly as fragile as she had been, so I charged forward, and slammed her through the stone wall. Her breath exploded from her lungs. Twisting and pulling at my arm, she tried to free herself. Even in my humanoid form, I completely outclassed her. I ripped the clothes from her body. The heady scent of fear burst from her. She was wide eyed, bruised, and bloody. But a 50+ toughness isn't just for show. I pulled her back through the wall, and slammed her through again. Then I did it again. And again. Still growling, I slammed her through the wall one final time.

I threw her through the door, and kicked her feet out from under her when she tried to scramble away. Then flipped her onto her back, and stepped on her chest. I crouched down low and hissed into an ear. "Pet. I own you. You have no points, because they are my points. What's wrong with spending my points on an ability specifically designed to increase my pleasure? Any other complaints?"

She frantically shook her head. I checked her over with [Flesh Shaping], and decided she didn't need healing. _Nothings broken, and with her new toughness, these bruises and scrapes will heal in just a few hours. It's a good lesson for her. She needs and instinctive understanding of how tough she is now anyway._

I helped her to her feet, and showed her the five foxkin sized holes we had left on the wall. Her shock was nearly tangible.

"How did I survive? I didn't feel any healing magic," she asked.

"Have you forgotten already? I didn't just fix your agility. You also have a toughness of 54. That's well past any normal mortal. How do you feel?"

"Like a horse threw me. Bruised and sore, but nothing feels broken." she said.

_I should explain what's going on. An informed pet is more useful than an ignorant one, right now maximizing her usefulness is fairly important._

"I'm Kolra's champion. A demigod. My primary goal is to complete the labyrinth. I'm going to acquire many pets, and the strongest of you will explore dungeons with me. We will become the most powerful group of adventures the world has ever known."

I continued to explain the [Great Game], that all the other gods were our enemies, and they had their own champions, all of whom were also demigods. Then I explained the her stats were about the same as most demigods, but her skills were far weaker.

"Now, let's go to the courtyard. We have a monster to butcher. Then we will spend a few hours cooking dozens of hot meals to preserve with storage magic. Then we will search the keep for anything worth taking, and head to Gravestead, where we will join the adventurers guild. Any questions?"

She seemed completely overwhelmed. So I patted her on the head, and pushed her towards the courtyard. Several hours later, the sun was high in the sky, and we had eaten, packed, and looted the keep.

Vixen had found something for us to wear. It was just peasant clothing. She still looked like she was wearing her mothers clothes, but we were traveling to a major city, and I didn't want to attract attention. At least not until we joined the adventurers guild, and I became Kolra's high priestess.

We headed down the road towards Gravestead.

Vixen had become silent and thoughtful. She constantly watched me from the corner of her eyes. Nervously, she finally asked, "I don't want to make you angry, but I don't understand. I should be an amazing [Rogue], yet you defeated me quickly and easily. My agility is 101. Even if I didn't win, you shouldn't have been able to lay a hand on me."

I let out a feral grin.

And showed her my stats.

>   
Name: Ciarra  
Level: 3 => 4  
Race: Primordial Dragon (Frost)  
Gender: Female  
Class: Priestess  
  
Character Points: 18 => 26 => 4  
  
Ability Scores:  
Strength: 101  
Agility: 101  
Toughness: 124  
Mind: 101  
Will: 123  
  
**Special Abilities:**  
[Powerful Existence] - Character points gained on level up are doubled.  
[Unarmed Combat I] - You are skilled in fighting without a weapon.  
[Tracking I] - You are skilled in tracking down prey  
  
**Magical Spells:**  
[Holy Smite I] - Holy damage to a single target. Range: Sight.  
[Heal I] - Heal single target. Range: Touch  
Rank Up => [Storage Magic IV] - Spacial Magic capable of storing anything caster owns. Time does not pass for stored items. Range: 10 feet  
Rank Up => [Water Manipulation IV] - You control water. Range: 35 feet.  
  
**Demigod Abilities (Unique):**  
[Godling] - Has the potential to become a god.  
[Champion of Kolra] - Character points gained on level up are doubled.  
[Flesh Shaping X] - Permanently alter targets body. Range: Touch  
[Empathic Scenting X] - All emotions cause subtle changes in body chemistry, and you can detect them all. Range: Special  
[Empathic Sensuality X] - Share sensations with your lovers. Range: Touch  
[Sexual Insight X] - You understand the most secret fantasies and sexual desires of your target, even things they have not admitted to themselves. Target: Sight  
  
**Draconic Abilities:**  
[Dragon Form VI] - You can shapeshift into a dragon at will.  
[Dragons Breath VI] - Frost based breath weapon. Works in both humanoid and dragon forms. Dragon form greatly increases range and damage. Range: 25 foot cone.  
[Tremorsense VII] - You sense subtle vibrations through the ground allowing you to pinpoint it's source and likely cause.  
[Magesense VII] - You sense the flow of magic around you.  
[Dragon Armor X] - Your scales block all but the most powerful of attacks.  
[Thermal Immunity X] - You are immune to all forms of thermal damage.  
[Protected Mind VII] - You are highly resistant to all forms of mental attacks.  


She studied them as we continued silently walking down the road. Awe, fear, and lust radiated from her, the combination was incredibly intoxicating. Eventually she broke the silence with a timid whisper.

"Twice my stats, and six rank ten abilities. I'll never have a chance of beating you." I don't reply, and we continue walking for a little longer. A thread of resignation blended with the other scents.

I check her over with [Flesh Shaping] again._ I was right. It's almost as though she is mildly addicted to me. Even at her most angry and terrified, the scent of lust hasn't left her all day. It doesn't seem to be getting stronger or weaker, she's just in a constant state of arousal, all focused on me. It's just lust, nothing overwhelming, but I enjoy knowing she's always wet for me._

"Kolra's the Goddess of Domination and Control isn't she?"

"Yes," I said.

She took a deep breath, then asked, "If I completely submitted myself to your domination, and actively tried my best to serve you, what would happen to me? I don't just want to know about today, I also want to know about after I'm old and ugly?"

_If she completely submits, would I be honor bound to do anything? A little, I suppose._ Still thinking, I reply, "Lots of sex. Often rough. Sometimes painful. But I'll make sure you receive healing if you need it." _That seems reasonable. I'll end up with other pets that can heal, so I'll just make sure they heal each other if needed._

"As for old age, have you forgotten what I am? [Flesh Shaping] can be used to reverse aging. Serve me well, and you'll serve for eons. Perhaps forever.

"You are also my little assassin, and will be part of my adventuring party, unless I replace you with someone else."

She fell several steps behind, then ran a few steps to catch back up. "I don't know if I should weep and rage at the gods, or fall on my knees and beg them to bless you."

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, her resignation turned into acceptance.

We continued down the old road, and Vixen moved closer with every few steps. Soon she was walking next to me, our bodies almost touching. Without looking at me, she took my hand and kissed it.

"I belong to you."

Their wasn't a trace of reluctance or resistance.

Just awe, fear, and lust.

Without a word, I lashed my tail around her waist, and lifted her into my arms. Nuzzling her neck, I breathed in deeply, losing myself in Vixen's heady scent. _This feels so right. Her awe at my glory, and the way she both lust for and fears my touch._

I whispered in her ear, "When we reach Gravestead and find an inn, I'm going to make you scream. Perhaps in pleasure. Perhaps in pain. Perhaps both."

Vixen shivered against me.

"Yes, Ciarra."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With this chapter, Vixen has become the main character. Most chapters will be told from her viewpoint.

Flushed with embarrassment, I forced myself to cooperate as Ciarra scratched my ears, humming happily to herself. Overwhelmed and exhausted, both physically and emotionally, I cuddled into her arms, as she carried me along the abandoned road between the fort and Gravestead. I was so weary of fighting the fates. Surrendering had granted peace that I hadn't felt since childhood.

_I was happy back then. Protected by my parents, free to run and play when I finished my chores. Father and mother sometimes went hungry, but I never did. Back then, I felt caged, and longed for my freedom. So I ran away, and spent years cursing myself for not knowing real freedom when I lived it._

_My life turned into a nightmare. I fought, when the adventurers that I thought were my friends betrayed me. I killed them all, even though I was only a 13-year-old runaway. I thought I had become an adventurer, that's how it worked in the stories, but my class didn't match my stats, and they rejected me. I fought, but they beat me, and left me broken and bleeding on the streets. I fought, attempting to join the thieves guild, and they held me down and sliced open my face for daring to waste their time with stats like mine._

_Starving on the streets, I learned the harsh truth. Don't fight battles you can't win. Swallow your pride. I fought. For scraps found in trash tossed on the street. For a corner to beg on. For a ragged blanket to sleep in. I had learned to avoid fights I couldn't win. When the first city guard cornered me, I swallowed my pride, and let him take what he wanted. It was a fight I wouldn't have won. A year later, I ran when it became to much to bear. Then I fought to prove my worth to the bandits, not with daggers, but by taking the worse jobs and spreading my legs for their leader._

_Ciarra changed everything._

_She's the ultimate example of a fight I can't win._

_The oathbinding stops me from running away, deceiving her, or betraying her. Now it gives me what I needed most._

_Hope._

When I swore the oathbinding, it granted understanding of how Ciarra interpreted my oath. I had hope because I felt the complete contempt she had for anyone who misleads someone in an honor bound agreement. That belief had infused her interpretation of my oath.

_Ciarra wouldn't deceive me about anything that touched my oathbinding, and she promised more than I dared hope for, all for the price of willingly submitting to what I couldn't stop anyway._

I tried to ignore the quiet part of me that longed for her touch, but it still reminded me that their were other benefits to serving her. I shivered again, this time from memories of mindless pleasure where nothing existed but her touch and pure ecstasy, it had lasted for an eternity. Part of me wanted to experience it again, but I didn't think my mind would survive.

Without breaking stride, Ciarra flipped me onto my back, and I looked up from her arms into the eyes of an apex predator focused on her prey. Heart suddenly thumping in my chest, I froze. One button at a time, she opened my shirt, and stroked fingers through my exposed fur. She kneaded my breasts, and teased my nipples.

I moaned with pleasure.

Embarrassed, I turned my head to watch the passing trees. Her pace hadn't slowed down at all. Firm fingers wrapped around my muzzle and forced me to face her again, then resumed playing with a nipple. Unable to meet her eyes, I stared at her mouth instead. Aching with need that I didn't understand, I panted and moaned quietly. Red lips curved sensually, parting slightly, and her forked tongue snaked out and licked her lips. Exploring fingers slid down my stomach and reached between my legs.

I welcomed them.

My entire being was focused on her hand. Fingers slid inside, curling and stroking, while her thumb rubbed against me. Every step drove her fingers a little deeper. Pleasure pulsed from her touch, increasing moment by moment until I couldn't bare anymore. Ecstasy exploded, and I screamed wordlessly, writhing in her arms.

"I never knew sex could be like that," I whispered. _Before her, I just spread and waited for them to finish. Other than trying to become pregnant, I never understood why any woman would willingly choose to have sex. It was uncomfortable at the best of times, and painful at the worse. At least I know better now._

Her answering smile was predatory. She stroked the fingers still buried deep inside me. I moaned and squirmed, my center still painfully sensitive. "My little pet, I love the way you respond to pleasure." Her expression didn't change as she continued, "Just as I enjoy the way you respond to pain." Without warning, her fingers twisted, and pain exploded where pleasure had just been. Curling up instinctively, trying to protect myself, I let out an entirely different kind of moan. Every step jerked her pinched fingers mercilessly, causing another spike of pain.

Releasing her painful pinch, she pulled her fingers out, and forced them inside my mouth.

"Lick them clean," she said. Flushing with shame, I complied, and licked the thick liquid from her fingers. As I finished, and before I could get the strange taste out of my mouth, she kissed my muzzle, her forked tongue wrapping around mine for a few moments.

She pulled back, and licked her lips again. "Divine." Her fingers slid back inside, and I couldn't help writhing with pleasure as she moved inside me. She pulled back out, and licked them clean. "Exquisite. I'm not sure which tastes better. Directly from my fingers, or from your tongue. Fortunately, both are available anytime I desire."

"It's dinner time." Ciarra announced, stopping without warning. She sat on the ground with her back to a tree, and plopped me down on her lap. From inside [Magic Storage] a plate appeared in her hand, followed by the still steaming drake steak we cooked earlier today. I held out my hand, hardly daring to hope, and she dropped a second plate and steak for me.

I can't believe I'm eating the Greater Forest Drake that forced them to abandon the fort._ Such a statement of power. She headed out for provisions, and came back with the Greater Forest Drake that caused the king to abandoned this fort in the first place. Killing it would have cost more lives than the fort was worth._

Shaking my head in amazement, I found myself staring up at the beautiful predator.

I had been using my belt knife to cut off bite size chunks of steak, and had assumed she would do the same. I wasn't expecting her to slice the steak into quarters with her talons, then swallow them hole. She summoned another steak, and ate it just as quickly. Then the plate vanished, and she turned her attention to me.

My plate, along with everything I hadn't finished eating, vanished into storage.

"What..." I started to say, confused.

Ciarra interrupted, "Stay in sight of the road, and head towards Gravestead." Still confused, I started to ask what she was talking about, but she interrupted with one roared word, "RUN!"

I ran.

Trees blurred past. Shocked, I stumbled, and almost fell. I was far faster than I had been. About a quarter hour later, her distant shout echoed through the trees, "Ready or not, here I come!" Heart thumping, I jumped at every sound. I knew I was being hunted. Eventually, I heard something moving through the trees and spun around expecting to see her. It was just a deer. Coming out of nowhere, she slammed into me from behind, and shoved me headfirst into the ground. Her captured prey.

Trapped under her, face down in the dirt, I struggled uselessly, even though I already knew I couldn't escape. Ciarra laughed with glee. Storage magic flashed, my clothes vanished, and I shrieked when her tail drove painfully up between my legs, thrusting repeatedly. Each of her hands painfully twisted and squeezed my breasts. She brutally ravaged my helpless body. Held against her, I couldn't help listening as her laughter turned into excited moans and gasps of pleasure.

I was in the middle of a terrified scream when my body suddenly exploded with an overwhelming rush of pleasure. I now knew what a climax was, but I couldn't understand why one had happened then.

A few thrusts later she convulsed in her own climax.

Still trapped under her, my mind whirled with confusion. _How can something hurt so bad... and still feel so good? It wasn't as good as her gentle touching earlier, it was better. Far better. I must be crazy. That's the only explanation._

After a few minutes she rolled off, slapped me hard on the butt, and growled, "Run."

I ran like my life depended on it. That time it took her longer to catch me, and I tried to fight her off. Struggling, I tried to wiggle free, but she still overwhelmed me. Her assault was just as brutal as the first time.

We climaxed together.

When she rolled off and slapped my butt, I didn't wait, I ran with everything I had.

I improved.

Often, she caught me quickly, but occasionally I managed to escape, either before she took me to the ground, or I'd squirm free before she was able to finish. I'd run again, and she'd give me a few minutes before taking off in pursuit.

Even after the sun set, we continued. My night vision was better than hers, so I lasted longer, but she always had me in the end. She caught me a dozen times or more before I realized something.

_I'm being chased through the woods by a terrifying monster, who has demonstrated repeatedly that she will violently and painfully violate me. At night. In the dark. My heart jumps into my throat at every sound, and I spend most of my time shivering in fear. My body throbs and aches all over, both inside and out. Yet, I can't stop grinning._

As she rolled off my aching body, Ciarra lassoed her tail around me, leaned against a tree, and pulled me into her lap. She had done this a couple other times, giving us a chance to drink some water, and eat a few bites before swatting my butt to send me off again. Other than her growling 'runs', neither of us had said anything since dinner.

"Enough. It's morning." Ciarra said.

Feeling disappointed, but completely drained, I nodded my head. Cuddled against her, and closed my eyes. "Thank you, that was..." I didn't have the right words, so I finally just said, "You are incredible," and left it at that.

"That I am," she said as exhaustion dragged me into darkness.

* * *

Ciarra's fingers stroking my ears slowly woke me from my slumber. I looked up from her lap and saw her smiling face. Judging from the sun, I had only slept a couple hours, but it had been enough. "Ciarra," I whispered, stroking my hands along her side. "I'm sorry, I should have let you sleep first." I felt as though I had failed. I had sworn to serve her to the best of my ability, and I had slept while she kept watch.

She looked at me, and I was abruptly staring into the eyes of an apex predator. I froze, suddenly terrified. The fingers gently stroking my ears twisted them painfully and flipped me onto my back.

Her lips still curved with the same smile she had worn while gently stroking me.

She gripped my breast tightly, fingers spread wide and digging in painfully. Talons slowly extended themselves from her fingertips, and pierced deeply into my flesh. I screamed. Her smile widened. Slowly, without breaking eye contact, she released me, and licked my blood from her talons one at a time.

"Let me? You forget yourself. You are my pet, not my equal."

I nodded my head frantically, and said, "I'm your pet."

_She is a force of nature. As unstoppable as a volcano._ I shivered, remembering her other form ripping the room open, monstrous head larger than my entire body. I would never forget how helpless I was when she lunged forward and snapped me up in her jaws. _I should hate her, but that's as foolish as railing against the tide._

_Besides, how often does a mere mortal have a chance to lay with a goddess?_

I shivered, remembering the intense pain and pleasure of being trapped under her. Rolling onto my hands and feet, I presented myself to her. I wasn't really sure if I wanted her to take my offer, but I wanted to offer myself to her either way.

"Good girl!" she said, scratching between my ears.

She casted [Heal], and the wounds left by her talons vanished. Storage magic flashed, and I was instantly dressed.

"I'd love to play, but we've reached the city wall"

"What?" I said surprised, "that doesn't make any sense. Gravestead is over 200 miles from the fort, we can't be there already!"

Ciarra chuckled, "Both of us have over 100 agility, and we ran through the night. I just wish I had thought about it on the first leg of my journey. I could have arrived here weeks ago."

_If you had arrived weeks ago, I wouldn't have met you._

I can't help feeling happy that she hadn't thought of it earlier.


	9. The Tailor

Surrounded by a solid block wall, Gravestead was reasonably well protected. I reminded myself to avoid attracting the wrong kind of attention, at least until my pets and I could safely fight other champions in a dungeon. I approached the two guardsmen stationed at the city gate.

Vixen's over-sized clothing amused them, and they didn't try to hide it. Grinning, they asked a few questions about where we came from and what we planed to do in the city. My pet had expected their questions, and had volunteered to handle it. Already bored by just the thought of dealing with petty bureaucrats and officials, I had agreed.

Upon entering the city, my eyes immediately began to water, as my nose was instantly assaulted by the reek of unwashed flesh, week-old night soil, and rotting trash. I hated Gravestead immediately.

"I forgot how horrible human cities smell," said Vixen, wrinkling her nose. "Eventually, you become somewhat accustomed to it."

_An unpleasant thought. Just one night, then I should be able to leave. I just need some equipment and to join the adventurers guild. Then we can leave._

"Guide me to a tailor," I said.

"How expensive of a tailor? One that sells cheap clothing such as this," she gestures at her coarse linen outfit, "or someone that supplies merchants and minor nobility? I only know of one tailor that serves the higher nobility, but they cost a fortune anyway."

_Silly question. What kind of clothing does she think I would wear?_ I opened her coin purse, and dropped a few dozen gold coins, from my hoard, into it. "Most of the time, I don't care to participate in trade, and I dislike haggling. Let me know when it runs low."

Her eyes bulged when she looked in, although I could barely scent her shock over the miasma polluting the city air.

"Apparently money isn't a concern," Vixen said, "Ciarra, do you know how much this is worth?"

"Not really," I admitted.

"Cheap beer and a meal costs one copper, a night in a good inn costs seven. Ten copper make one silver mark, ten marks make one gold. But, these aren't small gold coins. They are nobles gold, each one is worth ten normal gold. It's enough to live like kings for years! It's not going to..." Then she remembered who she was talking to, and fell silent.

"I'm far more than a king," I said, then repeated myself. Just to be clear, "Let me know when it runs low." _Why bother keeping track for myself, when I have a pet that can handle it for me. Everything she has is mine anyway, including everything in her purse and the clothes on her back._

_Wealth is just another form of power, and I tended to use it with the bluntness of an avalanche. In a very literal sense, haggling isn't worth my time. Finding more gold is trivial. Sufficient quantities of gold ore slightly twists the worlds magic field, not by much, but its enough for me to detect._

She nodded in agreement, still looking a little wide eyed. _People are strange. She's more shocked than when I shifted into a dragon. I guess it makes sense, she spent years begging, and as the lowest ranking bandit, she would have received the smallest share. As someone that's spent her life scrambling for coppers, she's in for quite a surprise._

I followed my pet as she led us through the streets. Exiting onto a busy intersection, she paused and turned back to me. "Three of the four major sections of the city meet here. Behind us is the foreigners quarter." she points north. "That's the merchants quarter, the shop I'm looking for is on the far side of it," then she gestures to the east, "Officially, that's the commoners quarter, but everyone calls it the slums."

Turning north, she froze for a second, eyes locked on a large three story building. Hate rolled off her, the scent so sharp and pungent that it cut through the more general stink of the city. Without a word she continued walking. _Such strong hate. How curious. Everything I did, and she never felt hate towards me, just rage. I wonder what that was about._

"Who's in that building?" I asked, and pointed at it.

"The thieves guild." She looked away, from me, and from the building.

"They gave you the scar," I said, remembering her story.

Her voice was clipped and harsh when she finally replied. "I was thirteen, still covered with bruises from the adventurers guild throwing me out, and hadn't eaten in a week. I politely asked to join. At dinner their guild leader found out how horrible my agility was. His second held me down, while he sliced open my face. Then they threw me out.

"Apparently, 'I embarrassed him.' I should have died, but the beggars guild found me.

"For the next year, that bastard added a new requirement for joining the guild. First they had to track me down, and drag me back. After dinner, the potential recruit would present me to him. The bastard would tell everyone about how I tried to join with an agility of one, they would all laugh. Then he would dip a stiletto in greater synoeca venom, and stab me with it. A few hours later, after my screaming died down, they would throw me out.

"Several times a month someone would drag me back. They always found me, no matter what I did"

After some thought, I said, "Would you make another oath, if I promised to kill him and destroy his guild once I'm finished here?"

Suddenly she was in my arms, face inches from mine. I had caught her instinctively when she leapt up. "YES! What oath? I'll swear almost anything." _Her tail wagged violently. Her tail has hardly moved since I met her. So, that's a big yes. To bad she doesn't have anything left to give._

Chuckling, I said, "I don't know yet, but I'll think about it."

She nodded happily, jumped down, and went back to leading the way. Her tail twitched excitedly. The reek of the city streets lessened as we moved deeper into the merchants quarter. An idea struck me.

"Vixen," I crooned, "I have an oath for you."

Jumping back up into my arms, she asked, "Yes, Ciarra?"

"I give my oath that I will make a reasonable effort to destroy the thieves guild in this city, if you swear not to climax without my permission." _I could do something similar with [Flesh Shaping], but not without touching her and concentrating. Besides, this costs almost nothing. Just an hour or two of my time._

She looked up from my arms and said, "That's all?" then she said, "I swear not to climax, unless I have Ciarra's permission." Our oaths settled into place, bound by my interpretation as always.

Just a few streets later, we reached the tailor. As we walked up to the door, a man who reeked with arrogance exited. He sniffed disdainfully, and said, "You would be better served by another tailor, one that caters to lizardkin commoners." To my surprise, Vixen snarled and lunged for his throat, dagger in hand, tail bristling. He let out a high pitched shriek, stumbled back, and fell against the wall.

Laughing, I caught her, mid leap, by the scruff of her neck, and pulled her into my arms.

"My lovely little pet," I said, scratching between her ears, "If you kill him, people will panic and run, guards will be called. Then you'll need to kill them, and even more would follow. It could be hours before they gave up. At the end of it all, my time would have been wasted, and I still wouldn't have new clothes.

"Besides, my pride isn't so easily wounded. In the long run, ignoring arrogant fools is much more entertaining than killing them."

"Sorry, Ciarra. I'll do better next time," she said, ears drooping, tail tucked between her legs.

"Killing is easy, but it can lead to wasted time. Better to ignore them." _Like Kinathor. It should have been a simple trade with the dwarves. Sensing gold near a dormant volcano, I came to the dwarves to trade the location for a share. Building up my hoard through these oaths was far more efficient than stealing. Until I met their arrogant little princeling. Annoyed, I killed him, then I had to kill his guards, then all of the royal guards. Arrogant fools. I had to destroy their palace and half the city before they listened. What should have taken less than an hour, wasted almost a week._

A rainbow of folded cloth covered the back wall, and a few dozen different outfits hung from pegs and racks. _Not what I'm looking for at all._ The fabric was beautiful, but the clothing seemed designed to stifle movement, and to cover as much of the body as possible.

"My name is Mabel, How may I serve you?" asked the pretty young woman who waited in the room.

"None of these are acceptable. What other options do you have?" I asked.

"Um, we don't sell anything like that," she said timidly, gesturing at my clothing. "Most of our clients are of the aristocracy. I can recommend another tailor if you would prefer."

"My choices were wearing this, or going without," I said. I examined a dress, "Excellent fabric, and I love the lack of seams. Must be magic based construction. Unfortunately, I need something easy to move in. Something that shows off the body instead of concealing it.

"Oh, Yes. Let me introduce you to Madame Alysia."

She opened the back door, and we entered room where several women worked on dresses. Enchanted looms moved by themselves, and they altered the dresses by slicing open and reweaving the fabric. Mabel called an elegantly dressed older woman over.

"Madame Alysia, this woman would like a dress that displays the body and doesn't restrict movement."

Alysia showed me several outfits, but I didn't like any of them, all were far more conservative than I wanted. Finally, I stopped walking, and pulled Mabel between us.

"How much for your dress?" I asked her.

Confused, she said, "Many alterations would be needed before it fit you, and it's an older design. After you paid for the altercations, it would probably be cheaper to purchase a new one."

I sighed, and turned to Alysia. "What's the most expensive dress you have?"

She said, "Twenty gold, but it's a special order for the queen."

"Mabel, I don't want to wear it. Just stand there, and I'll make alterations to show Alysia what I want. Do that, and I'll give you twenty gold. Deal?"

The room fell silent, except for the quietly weaving looms.

She gulped. "Yes, but..." I interrupted her by pressing a finger to her lips.

"Speak again, before I'm finished, and the deal is off," I said. She shut up.

Extending a talon, I quickly sliced open the front of her dress, turning it into a nice v-neck that exposed her cleavage. Cutting open the back, I left everything exposed from her shoulder blades to lower back. Then I sliced the skirt off mid calf, and slit the side all the way up to her hip.

Nodding with satisfaction, I turned away from my blushing mannequin.

"One for each of us," I gestured to Vixen and myself, "in the next two hours, I'll pay twenty gold apiece. Can you do it?"

Alysia looked shocked, but she said, "Yes, assuming we have enough of whichever fabric you select."

"Assuming I'm happy with them, I'll purchase as many different outfits as you can make in the next... Vixen, my primary reason for coming here shouldn't take longer than two days. How do you feel about waiting another three before I fulfill my oath to you?"

"I have absolute confidence, you will hunt him down. That gives me peace. A few days is nothing."

"After these first two, you have five days to make as many outfits as you can. Half for me, and half for Vixen. I'll pay twenty gold for each.

Talon still extended, I pressed a finger up under Alysia's chin. "Don't even think about skimping on quality so that you can produce more outfits." She smelled offended, but just nodded in accent when I released her.

"I should show you a few more examples," Looking up at the still silent seamstresses staring at me, I said, "Anyone else want to volunteer?" Vixen choked, then started laughing, her tail twitching back and forth.

Everyone volunteered, even Alysia.

I demonstrated another five dresses on my new mannequins, we discussed coloring and fabric. Now that she seemed to understand what I wanted, I also gave her permission to come up with her own designs.

While they took our measurements, Alysia's bookkeeper, Sherana arrived.

Scenting increasing curiosity from Sherana, I wasn't really surprised when she finally said, "I may ask mother to make one for me to wear for my husband, but only in the privacy of our home. I couldn't wear one in public. I'm not trying to be offensive, but I've got to ask. Are you really going to?"

Vixen laughed, and said, "You have no idea. When I met her, I was with a group of about thirty bandits, most of whom the male. She was completely nude, and completely comfortable."

"What happened?" asked the bookkeeper.

"You can guess what happened. Our leader decided she would make a good slave and we tried to capture her. I'm the lone survivor. Ciarra's the best thing that has ever happened to me." Her scent was filled with absolute conviction, and something I could only call love. _She's a cute little pet._

Sherana said, "Lady... I'm sorry, I don't know your name. Or your title."

_It's been a millennium since I last used a title. I preferred my solitude._ "Title? I haven't use one in a long time, but my last one was, Ciarra The Cold, Frozen Queen Of The Glaciers."

"You're a queen?" asked one of the girls, her eyes as big as saucers.

"A queen without subjects," I replied absently, scanning the room. I hadn't expected anyone to take the title seriously, but someone radiated fear. It only took a moment to find the source, the bookkeeper had frozen in place. "Vixen, guard the door," I said, ignoring the confused looks around me.

Vixen doesn't hesitate, she darts to the door and locks it. Then turns around, and leans against it, dagger in hand. _Smart little pet. She was the right choice._

_I'll make them finish the first two before I eat them. Such a shame. I hoped to fill our wardrobes._ Striding across the room, I headed towards Sherana. She flinched back, and fell out of her chair, then came up swearing, "I swear, I will never reveal anything learned here today, without your permission, under your name, Ciarra The Cold, Frozen Queen Of The Glaciers." _Oh. That's a much better option. I'll still have all my beautiful dresses._

Everyone but Sherana and Vixen seem very confused.

Sherana shouts for attention, "Everyone! Make the same oath I did. Right now."

Alysia started to talk, but Sherana just spoke over her. "Mother, do as I said. And make your people swear as well. Then start making her dresses. She'll kill us if we don't."

A few minutes later, the scared bookkeeper had everyone's oaths, although only her mother seemed to really believe the danger was real.

I settled down to wait. Lashing my tail around Vixen's waist, I pulled her up into my arms, and started scratching her.

Sherana hesitantly approached, I could smell traces of her curiosity. "I'm a scholar, on the path to become a loremaster and I'll never forgive myself if I don't at least try. Please, may I ask some questions?"

Vixen suddenly speaks up from my lap, "Ciarra, what are you? What does your title mean? I thought Primordial Dragon was a powerful subspecies of drake, but that was obviously wrong."

"Yes, my pet," I smiled. "Let's see how much you know, Sherana. Answer her questions, and I'll answer yours."

Sherana hesitated, then said, "When the gods formed the world, legend say that the Primordial Dragons spontaneously formed from the chaotic creation energy that was released. The first of the Eternals, they are as old as the world itself. Comparing her to a drake is like comparing the ocean to a cup of water.

"In the beginning there were twelve of them. Only six remain. Five were killed by rivals, long before civilization existed. The last died fighting against the combined might of the Sorcerer's Guild, Wizard's Guild, and Adventurer's Guild, at the height of their power. The Sorcerer's Guild was destroyed, every single member died in the battle. The other two guilds were decimated, bringing the Age of Magic to an end.

"Her title was mentioned in an old elven manuscript by their greatest loremaster. She said the last ice age was caused by, and I quote, 'Ciarra The Cold, Frozen Queen Bitch Of The Glaciers'."

Sherana paled, the scent of fear spiking, "Please forgive me, I'm terrified, and not thinking clearly."

Chuckling, I waved her concerns away, "As I recently told Vixen, My pride isn't so easily wounded. Xelburrayn attacked me, we fought for several months before I ripped off his wings. He submitted and swore he would never bother me again. Our battle altered weather patterns across the world, and caused the last ice age. So, your loremaster isn't completely right or altogether wrong."

Sherana said, "Humans have a natural stat range of 1 through 10, some adventurers have reached 25 through bonuses or special abilities. One mortal had a unique skill that allowed him to reach 50 strength. That's the highest stat any mortal has ever had. If it's not too personal, what's the range of a Primordial Dragon?"

Vixen said, "That can't be right, can it? Character points can be spent on stats as well as ranking up abilities. A high level adventurer should be able to easily reach 50 or more in any stat, if they are willing to give up a few ranks in their abilities. Someone must have done it."

Sherana replied, "Character points can't be used to do more than double a stat. A fighter can double their strength from 10 to 20 fairly easily. Just gain 5 levels, then spend five gold on a priest. As a foxkin, your agility and mind have a natural maximum of 12, but your strength and toughness are limited to 8, so even with character points you will never have more than 24 agility.

"Personally, I'm glad that limit is there. Stats scale logarithmically, not linearly. Someone with 20 strength isn't twice as strong as someone with 10. They are about four times stronger. The adventurer that obtained 50 strength once crushed an enemy by pushing over an inn they were sleeping in. Imagine if most adventurers could do that!"

"I could push over a house? Damn. I love you," My pet said, looking up at me with a silly smile on her face.

Showing mercy on Sherana's confused look, Vixen said, "My strength is 52."

"Oh."

Then Vixen grinned evilly.

"It's my lowest stat."

Sherana shrunk back, then looked back and forth between the two of us. "She calls you her pet, and you act like it. What are you?"

Vixen replied, "I'm a foxkin. I told you how we met. She killed them all, but I was the only one that managed to hurt her, even if it was only a little. It's still hard to believe. I hit her with a ballista bolt enchanted with [Armor Piercing VII], from point blank range. And it BOUNCED off her."

I laughed. "She's my clever little pet. I enjoy toying with her. Her screams of pain. The way she writhes in pleasure. She's mine. So I improved her. As for me... I'll just say my lowest stat is agility and it's 101."

Sherana paled again.

Seizing a handful of Vixen's oversized clothes, I ripped them off, exposing her nude body to the room. She flushed, but she knew I liked to look into her eyes while I played with her, so she didn't look away.

Sherana fled.

I snorted. _She was a waste of my time, just like everyone else in the room. None of them have that spark. I could take any of them, and I would enjoy myself, but only Vixen has the spark that makes sex more. I sensed it from the beginning, but it was buried deep. Now, it's part of every move she makes._

I stroked and explored everything from her ears to her pussy. Gently. And cruelly. In just a few minutes she was panting and moaning, writhing on my lap, trapped between pleasure and pain. Pinching and twisting. Caressing and massaging.

She begged.

She screamed.

Ignoring her, I continued my play. She was mindless with aching need, when she started chanting something under her breath. At first I didn't pay attention to the sound, but as her volume increased, the words became clear.

"My Queen! My Queen!" she chanted her mantra endlessly, voice and scent filled with an aching need, complete submission, and absolute devotion.

I loved it.

And gave her the release she needed so badly.

Pleasure took her, and she writhed and convulsed on my lap.

After several minutes, her dazed eyes opened for a moment. Exhausted, she curled forward and crawled into my arms, occasionally trembling sweetly against me.

I smiled down.

At my little pet.

My plaything.

My toy.

MINE.

And suddenly realized something that scared me.

I felt no desire to destroy the world, but I didn't care if it was destroyed either. Everyone and everything could cease to exist right now, and I would just enjoy the peaceful silence. I was the only company I cared to keep.

Until now.

Somehow, my little pet had squirmed her way into my heart.

Losing her would hurt.

Badly.

I whispered into her ear, "Tonight, when I mount you, I'm going to take a breast in each hand, and slowly extend my talons, and slice deep inside you. You'll scream in pure agony long before I give you release. But first, we'll try out your upgraded [Cunnilingus]."

She shivered in my arms, radiating awe, fear, and lust.

Reaching up, she stroked my cheek. "Yes, my Queen."

Still holding her in my arms, I stood up, and looked around the room. No one would meet my eyes. A rainbow of emotional scents filled the air. Embarrassment. Curiosity. Anger. Longing. Fear. Lust. Contempt. Awe. More than I cared to sort through.

Apparently, they had finished the first pair of outfits a while ago, but no one had been willing to come close enough to let us know.

Vixen was still dazed, so I used some of scrap cloth to clean her up, then had them dress her, and make any final adjustments that were needed. When they finish, Vixen no longer looked like a child playing dress up in her mother's clothes.

I slid out of my old clothes, and allowed Alysia, smelling of fear and lust, to dress me. She made a few final adjustments.

Pleased with the results, I paid for the dresses and for acting as my living mannequins, then reminded Alysia that I would be back in five days for the rest of the dresses.

Then we left, and Vixen led the way to the next shop.


	10. Equipment

_My Queen, Ciarra, will kill him._

_Once he finished with me, nothing mattered. I was dead, in all but name. Little more than a walking corpse. My Queen changed everything._ Tail wagging, I looked over my shoulder and smiled. Her eyes met mine and I shivered in fear. _When she hunts me, I truly feel alive. Tonight, she'll take me again. Her burning touch. Pain. Pleasure. It makes no difference. An overwhelming explosion of sensations emanating from My Queen will ravish my soul._ With a quiet whimper, I shivered again, this time with lust.

Everyone stared at her. Flushing, I forced myself to face forward again. _Shouldn't that be impossible? How can covering an already perfect body be more sensual than nudity? The dress she designed exposed half her bosom, arms, legs, and half her back. Glimpses of her pale thigh flash through the slit in her skirt. Our skirts._ Flush deepening at the reminder, ears flat against my head, I tried not to think about it. She wasn't the only one people stared at. Most men, and some women looked like they had been poleaxed. People pointed, and a wave of conversation crested around us. Stopping myself from crawling into her arms to hide from the lascivious gazes around me, took all I had. _Amazing. She truly doesn't care._

Arriving at the shop, I all but clung to her legs. She stroked my head, and I melted against her. This shop focused on high end adventurers gear, things I had never dreamed of being able to afford. Ciarra wanted the best available, and as far as I knew, this was the best Gravestead had.

Few people were inside, because only high level adventurers and nobles could afford their merchandise. Without breaking stride, Ciarra pulled down an enchanted belt pouch and coin purse, and passed them down. Soon they were followed by enchanted tools and other equipment.

Arms overflowing, ears twitching in amusement, I had to run to one of the shopkeepers, placing everything on the counter in front of him, I warned him that she was just started. Preemptively putting a stop to any concerns he might have had, I stacked a dozen nobles gold coins on his desk, just so he knew she was serious.

Darting back to My Queen, I acted as her mule. She loaded me down, and I'd drop everything off at the counter then run back to accept more. It was almost as though she planned on purchasing everything in the shop.

Two firestarters, the best set of lockpicks I had ever seen, a dozen crystals enchanted with eternal light, magnifying glass, coil after coil of silk rope, several candles, torches, a very expensive stack of parchment, ink, several quills, two mirrors, several mining picks and shovels, a dozen waterskins, whetstone, lots of soap, sealing wax, several empty vials, two spyglasses, pots and pans, a firestone to cook on, hammer, grappling hook, several toiletry kits, several toothbrushes, empty jugs, and a dozen long poles later, she started slowing down.

Almost everything was enchanted. Why anyone other than My Queen would purchase enchanted shovels was beyond me, but they were enchanted for toughness and preventing rust.

Ciarra paused when she reached the tents, then she moved on without purchasing any of them.

When I finally followed her to the counter, both the other shopkeepers had joined the first one. They quickly sorted through what looked like enough gear to start our own business.

"Several of the items M'lady has selected are quite expensive, especially when purchasing twelve of them. May I suggest putting a few back? With them your total would come to about 750 gold, and-"

Ciarra interrupted him without a word, summoning 75 nobles from storage. Even though it was her, I couldn't help flinching when she didn't bother haggling. _A week ago, I could have lived for years just on how much I haggled them down._ I still laughed at his expression, tail wagging in amusement.

"I'm dissatisfied with your tents. I'm looking for something that can fit a dozen people comfortably. Preferably one enchanted with spacial magic. Where can I find one?"

"The enchanters guild might be able to create it for you, Silverflower is the closest city they have a presence in. I'd be happy to share our contact's information with you."

Ciarra sighed, then picked up one of the three person tents, several bedrolls, blankets, and a large hammock, and added them to her order. Then she dropped a single gold coin to cover the added cost, and placed her hand on the small mountain of supplies. They vanished into her storage with a flash.

Amused at their bewildered expressions, I couldn't help grinning. As always, My Queen was a force of nature, even when doing something as simple as buying supplies.

She entered the alchemist shop across the street, and simply purchased everything, including a terrifyingly large amount of alchemist fire, poison, and acid. 900 gold later, we left the stunned alchemist.

Next Ciarra purchased every barrel the cooper had available.

Then we visited the weaponsmith where Ciarra purchased two of her best mythril daggers, her heaviest maul, and a horrendously expensive set of adamantine full plate. A thousand gold later, we left for the leatherworker. From there she purchased a set of drake leather for me. When she saw me in the ebony black leather, a wide predators grin filled with sharp triangular teeth spread across her face. I thought she was going to take me right then, right there, but after a few moments she passed both mythril daggers and their sheaths my way.

My Queen ordered me to take her to one of the last places I wanted to go. The adventurers guild. Heavy memories of the only time I had darkened their door seemed to weigh me down. Tail almost dragging the ground, I touched the wall, I could remember collapsing and drifting to sleep leaning against this very spot. Hours later, a guard kicked me awake. I had limped to the one district they didn't patrol, the slums. _If only she had been chasing me instead of them. She would have taken me right here on the streets, and I would have felt alive again._

Distracting myself, I asked Ciarra something that had been bothering me.

"Why didn't you take any of the seamstresses? Several of them were pretty, and they were already sworn to you." _My Queen should have dozens, no hundreds, of women._ Silently, I prayed that she would still want me. _Either way, I'll always serve her._

"None of them had the… spark. Without the spark, everything sexual is less. Less pleasurable. Less gratifying. Less fascinating. It's less in every way. Let lesser beings waste their time on such bland playthings." _So I have this spark?_ My tail twitched, and my ears perked up.

"Spark? What do you mean?"

Ciarra looked at me thoughtfully, then pulled me into her arms, and sat down on some boxes in the shade.

"Tell me, how often do you think about sex?"

My tail froze. "Constantly, at least since meeting you," I admitted, "It's always in the back of my mind. Stray thoughts catch me unawares. Often at the strangest times and in the strangest ways. When I turned and saw you holding that wooden pole in the shop, I couldn't help imagining you claiming me with it," I admitted, then shivered, fingering my new dagger. I didn't want to admit the rest, but she had asked.

"While I watched you pick out the mythril daggers, my first reaction was a deep longing for you to take me then and there, and bury both hilt deep into my flesh as you climaxed." The idea had scared me, but that was a minor fear next to how truly terrifyingly badly I wanted her to do it. Suddenly I realized I held one of the daggers by the blade. I froze, staring wide-eyed at the blade I had unconsciously started to hand her. Numbly, I carefully put it back in the sheath with trembling hands.

"What's wrong with me?" Unconsciously, my tail had curled up between my legs, silent tears were dripping down my cheeks, and my ears were pressed against my head.

"Nothing," The single word was sharp. Emphatic. "You are the most exquisitely beautiful and rare gem in my hoard." I smiled at her words, ears coming back up.

"Like me, you have the spark, even though it was buried deeply when we met. For lesser creatures, sex is simply something they do, they rut when they must, just like any animal, but sex is just a physical act for them, simple movements made because their bodies demand it.

"You and I are different. Our sexuality is part of everything we are, and everything we do. It's the passion that drives us, and they can't understand any more than an animal could.

"Put simply, they just perform sex. We live it, more than that, we thrive on it. They can play their role, but using them to fulfill our needs is like using a puppet. Yes, I could do anything I wanted to them, willing or not, but it would just be a physical act."

She lashed out, slapping my thigh painfully. I gasped, heart suddenly thumping in my throat. Intensely aware of every touch. She licked her lips, and pulled me into a kiss. Then she whispered, "We just experienced more eroticism, than I would have received from bending one of those puppets over the table and fucking them."

Gulping, I nodded. "How can I find more women with the spark for you to enjoy?"

"As far as I know, I'm the only one that can tell if someone has the spark, at least without seeing them in the throes of passion, but don't worry, I'll let you know when someone interests me."

"My Queen, once I thought sex was simply a man fucking a woman, but you're right, that slap was more sexual than any time a man has fucked me. Why? I don't understand."

As she spoke, I relaxed, tail twitching back and forth. "Oh, my pet, you have much to learn. For many unlucky people, their sexuality is as simple as intercourse with a member of the opposite sex, but some people are not so limited, and are lucky enough to have one or more kinks or fetishes. As vast and varied as the universe, kinks and fetishes are additional expressions of sexuality. The difference between the two is simple, but subtle. A kink brings additional sexual pleasure, just like a fetish, but a fetish doesn't just bring more, it's also required for sexual gratification. There are far to many types of kinks and fetishes to list. With little more than a glance, I understand everything about the sexuality of every woman I see.

"So lets talk about the two of us. I have a fetish for sexually dominating and controlling women. You on the other hand, have a fetish for submitting. It was deeply buried when I met you, but not anymore. At the tailors, when I pulled you into my lap and spent almost two hours doing whatever I wanted, my body wasn't pleasured directly, and I didn't climax, but I experienced intense sexual pleasure. It's been hours, and I'm still riding that euphoric wave.

"You fulfill many of my needs, but not all of them. For example, I want someone to conquer. You are simply mine. We both know that you will willingly accept anything I do to you. So that's not a need you can fulfill. Things would be much simpler if I didn't enjoy watching women loose control in an overwhelming climax of pleasure after I finished with them. Finding someone to conquer is easy, finding someone that will writhe with pleasure when I finish will be much harder. But, I'll find someone with the right combination of kinks.

"I also have a kink for sexual sadism. I receive sexual pleasure from causing women pain. You have a kink called masochism. That's what's scaring you so much right now. Masochist feel sexual gratification from pain. For most, it's limited to specific types of pain in the context of sex. But my pet, you are the most beautifully rare wonder, you feel sexual pleasure with pain in any context. It doesn't replace the pain, but rides along with it, almost like a second sensation.

Ciarra lifted up one hand, and I shivered, tail frozen in place, eyes suddenly focused on the mythril dagger she held. The blade slid under a seam in my leather armor, and cold metal pressed against my skin. "I wonder if I can make you climax using nothing but this blade," she quietly asked, sounding curious.

Whimpering, I replied, "I don't know," the oathbond forcing out a truth I hadn't even admitted to myself.

Her predatory eyes froze me in place, and I whispered. "You terrify me."

She smiled, and said, "Good," then stood up and resumed our trip.

Ignoring catcalls from the mostly male crowd of adventurers hanging out on the bottom floor of the adventurers guild, Ciarra headed directly for the receptionist, and asked him about becoming an official adventurer. He explained that in order to join, any potential recruit had to successfully complete the mandatory dungeon run that happened twice a week. The next one was due to leave tomorrow morning. We would meet the guild representative at the south gates, and he would explain the rules, and guide us to the dungeon. Upon returning with proof of a successful run, we would become official adventurers, and be welcome an any adventurers guild.

Business finished, we left. Ciarra said, "It's time to complete a quest that Kolra gave me," and she headed deeper into the merchants quarter. I walked beside her, hand resting on her thigh, while she stroked my head. Near the city wall she approached a temple dedicated to a goddess I once would have scorned.

Kolra, Goddess of Domination and Control.

Ciarra strode through the massive gilded doors, and closed them behind her. Stepping to the side, she dropped the heavy iron rod into place. It was intended to bar the door if the temple was ever attacked. She twisted the bar around itself, locking the doors closed.

Heart pounding, certain something was wrong, I walked into the nave with her.

In a half circle behind the podium, the clergy sat. They didn't wear Kolra's holy symbol. These paladins and priests wore a symbol I had never seen before. Pacing back and forth between them and his congregation, a wiry old man preached emphatically.

Practically spitting with zeal, he ranted to the rapt congregation. "Men dominate as our nature demands, and women must be forced to submit to our control, just as Kolra, the Goddess of Control submits to the God of Domination."


	11. Kolra's Temple

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is from the viewpoint of a new character.... she doesn't curse out loud, but she uses excessive profanity in her internal thoughts.
> 
> If she was a regular viewpoint character, I'd mark the story as having excessive profanity.

Silently, I knelt between the pews, at the feet of the old human that just purchased me, held in place by magic emanating from the heavy slave collar around my throat. _Fuck me. Better yet, fuck you. Fucking burn in hell, you fucking damn slaver asshole!_ I mentally screamed the words, but my lips didn't move. They were sealed by his command to kneel silently at his feet.

Before this nightmare started, I was an innkeeper's daughter. Slavers had raided my home. Enchanted slave collars are expensive, so they only had enough for twenty of us. They choose who they expected to bring the most profit, Including several children. _They enslaved children, what heartless fucking bastards, every single one. I learned what real fucking evil was that day._ Then they slaughtered everyone else, including my parents. Even after all this time, I still had to fight back the tears. _Why the hell did they kill everyone else? Fucking evil bastards._

The slave raiders sold us to a caravan. Then we were stripped down to our small clothes and given two orders. Don't harm anyone, including ourselves, and stay in our cages. Treated as the merchandise we had become, they kept us in large communal cages. Except for me. _Yelling, swearing, threatening, none of it made a difference. They didn't respond, fucking bastards just ignored me. Dammit to hell and back, I was only their fucking prized livestock._

My father had been a panther beastkin, and my mother had been human. I was a rare half-breed. The slavers called me a catgirl. One of their contacts had a standing order for a dark-furred and light-skinned catgirl with blue eyes. He had offered double for a young virgin like me. They took no chances. _The only damn thing worse than fucking evil slave raiders is those who keep them in business by fucking buying slaves. My fucking owner-to-be was the worse of all. He had arranged a purchase matching his specifications. I was nothing more than a decoration for him, picked out for my coloring. Is that why they attacked my home? Were my parents dead because I matched the fucking colors he fucking picked out? Fuck him. Fuck all of them._

In an enclosed wagon, alone and bored, daylight little more than a memory, I simply existed. The door only opened twice daily. Before the sun came up, and after it had set. _Just because my fucking bastard of a future owner wanted me to be pale-skinned, they kept me a hell of endless darkness so that my tan would fade. Days, weeks, months, all spent in that little wagon. Fucking bastards._

Every time the door opened, they emptied the chamber pot, filled the basin with water, and left a small clean hand cloth. The water was both for drinking, and for cleaning myself.

In the evenings, hard bread and tasteless stew waited, but only if I passed inspection. Hair, skin, fingernails, everything had to be flawless. Even the slightest imperfection would bring the only other order they ever gave me, "Brush your hair until we open the door again." Tens of thousands of strokes later, arms long past aching and burning, I would finally be released from the command.

Initially, I was defiant and wanted to hurt the slavers in the only way I could, by ensuring I sold for as little as possible. If they were going to treat me like an animal, I'd act like one. I didn't try to clean myself. That lasted until the first time they punished me.

_'Brushing your hair,' had sounded so fucking easy, and at first, it was. Before the day was half over, my fucking hands cramped, and my arms hurt like hell. Every damn time the brush touched my scalp, I hissed in fucking pain. It was irritated by the relentless brush strokes. Fuck irritated. Every fucking bump felt like being jabbed with a fucking needle. I was fucking raw and bleeding in several places. They hadn't even noticed my defiance, and I had already given up on my tentative plan. I just wished the damn door would fucking open so the torture would end._

When it finally opened, they barely glanced at me before calling a priest over to mend my wounds. I thought they were showing a small sign of humanity. After being healed, I no longer ached. Blood was in my hair, and I hadn't cleaned myself sufficiently. So I failed inspection again. Instead of food and the chance to rest, he just said, "Brush your hair until we open the door again," and closed the door. He hadn't been upset.

This time I spent all night paying careful attention to exactly how I brushed. I couldn't allow my scalp to become raw again, and the only way I could think of to avoid it was by rubbing it as little as possible. Every stroke had to be deliberate. While I brushed my hair with one hand, I cleaned myself with the other. In the morning, I passed his inspection, although I failed several more times over the next few weeks.

Then lessons began.

I learned how to speak in high society. _And endured hours of punishment, just because an accidental 'fuck' slipped out. That made me especially bitter, because I had been a good girl, and had never cursed before they came._

I was also taught how to act. Where I should stand, which fork to use, how to curtsy, and all the other details I needed to know so I wouldn't embarrass my master when someone visited. Worse of all, they taught me about being a pleasure slave. My virginity was reserve for the man that would purchase me, but they still made me learn everything about pleasing a man. _I didn't have any hands-on experience, because that fucking bastard wanted a trained virgin. Should I have been grateful for that much? Fuck no._

We arrived in Gravestead, and their contact, an older human man, purchased me for a thousand gold coins. _That had come as quite a fucking shock. No wonder they were so careful with me. No wonder they spent so much time teaching me how to speak and act. Most slaves were sold for less than 25 gold. I was a fucking expensive slave. Not that it makes a difference. If anything that makes things worse. For that much gold, I can be almost fucking positive that my family, no... the entire village was targeted because I matched the coloring the fucking asshole of a bastard wanted._

Smiling demurely, and walking slightly behind him, I followed him to the temple of his patron deity. He wanted to show off his new slave.

Smiling graciously through gritted teeth, I stood meekly next to him. I was never introduced, after all, I was only a slave, but their greedy eyes followed me. Talk of slaves, slavers, and raiding dominated the discussion. These were influential people, and they considered debating the finer points of slave raiding casual conversation. _This goddamn temple is infested with fucking slavers._

The priest droned on, and I still hoped the service would never end. I tried not to think about what would happen when we arrived at my new owner's home. He hadn't paid double for a young virgin because he planned on sleeping alone. _Hell, compared to every-fucking-thing else, my impending rape seems so much less crushing than it once did. I just had to smile and endure. Smiles are easily faked, and I would withstand the physical act. I just need to focus on one fucking day at a time. That's how I'll fucking survive._

An unfamiliar scent came from the entrance. Someone was there; I couldn't place the smell of their species. The ushers troubled voice quietly protested, but whoever she spoke to ignored her. From my position on the floor, I couldn't see them.

Something changed, and I shivered, scenting an apex predator. I felt like a rabbit after hearing the cry of a hunting hawk. Silent and trapped by the collar, my skin crawled. I listened as the clicking of their talons against the marble tiles drew closer. _Fucking run!_ I pulled on my owner's leg, trying to get his attention. _Fuck, he's too distracted to notice. Am I about to die because this fucking bastard isn't smart enough to run from danger?_

The congregation muttered, but it soon changed into shouting and the rustling of people moving. Looking up from my knees, I couldn't see anything relevant. Everyone was staring back at something I couldn't see. Suddenly moving, as though driven by a cresting wave, people ran from the aisle. My owner retreated with the rest of them. _Fucking finally!_ But, he shoved past me without saying a word and left me behind.

Alone and terrified, trapped by the enchantment controlling my body, I held still as the aura of absolute domination pushed against me. Talons clicked, as they stalked forward one step at a time. The pressure grew stronger, thrumming painfully through my bones. Only the slave collar stopped me from running. _Please don't see me. Please don't look at me. Just fucking please!_

An ethereally elegant lizardkin came into view. Bare talons ticked upon the stone floor with every step. In full plate armor with an oversized maul slung across their back, every movement the lizardkin made screamed of danger. The lizardkin's presence was so overwhelming that I almost missed the tiny black and gray foxkin smiling up at her. Neither one so much as glanced in my direction.

"Come here, slave!" My owners shouted command freed me from the floor. _About fucking time you fucking idiot._ I ran away as fast as I could.

_I was just a fucking ignorant commoner, and I fucking knew running was our only fucking hope. Why was everyone just fucking standing around and fucking watching? How could they be so fucking stupid?_ I tried to beg my owner to run, but his order to be quiet was still in effect, and I couldn't say a thing. _I'm the only beastkin here. Are the other races too... domesticated to know a real fucking deadly predator when they fucking sensed one? My instincts fucking screamed for me to escape. And I'm stuck beside my fucking asshole of an ignorant owner._

With no alternative, I turned back and watched as the lizardkin came to a stop before the podium. _Beautiful beyond words. Both the lizardkin and the foxkin looked like a fucking artist designed them._

The priest that had been lecturing shouted at her, "Prostrate yourself before the God of Domination, and perhaps he'll be merciful!"

The lizardkin snorted with pure contempt.

Enraged, the priest screamed, "Kill her in the name of the God of Domination!"

Over the commotion coming from the attacking clergy, the lizardkin roared, "Kolra, my goddess, may I kill them all?"

Abruptly, the presence of a goddess pulsed through the chamber. Her voice echoed with power, and she said, "My champion, destroy everyone who isn't a prisoner or slave," then her presence waned. _Don't destroy slaves? That's fucking fantastic news. I wonder if killing them all includes this goddamn bastard?_

Suddenly hesitant and nervous, the clergy slowed. _You should have already run the fuck away. I could have told you that before she was halfway down the fucking aisle. Apex fucking predator. And that was before she called on her goddess, and got a damn AUDIBLE fucking answer._

The lizardkin told the foxkin, "I'll eliminate these, you slaughter the congregation. Practice with your blades; Learn what you can."

The lizardkin pulled the massive maul from her back, hefting it in one hand as though it was light as a feather. Moving so quickly that it was hard to follow, her maul slammed into the nearest paladin, caving in his chest, then she snapped her weapon into a nearby priest. Both crumpled bonelessly to the floor.

Like a soldier playing with children, she effortlessly shattered their already confused squad. Cloth, chain mail, plate steel, or a shield, none of it made a difference. Everyone she hit fell, and none of them stood back up. _Yeah. She was a goddamn fucking apex fucking predator, and we needed to fucking run._

My owner called for me to follow and ran for the entrance. When we arrived, and I saw the door, I started silently giggling. It wasn't merely locked. Twisted and bent around its supports, the steel barring rod would never move again, at least without a blacksmith.

My owner slapped me, demanding to know why I was laughing. Released from the compulsion to remain mute, I grinned maniacally, "I'm laughing because slavers are about to die."

Someone screamed, and I spun around just in time to see the diminutive foxkin bury her blades in someone's throat with a feral grin that made me shiver. Blood sprayed, and he slowly toppled to the floor, hands clawing at his throat. So much damn blood!

Suddenly half the room drew blades. The terrifying lizardkin wasn't here, just a short foxkin that barely reached my waist.

Weapons drawn, they encircled her. The little foxkin looked like a child surrounded by brigands. _No, no, no, we need the lizardkin. Why would the foxkin come by herself?_

"She wishes for me to practice with my blades. Learn where to strike, how to hurt, how to kill." the foxkin's grin suddenly turned into a sugary-sweet smile. "Perhaps, if I do a good job, she'll use these blades..."

She shivered, eyes hooded, and moaned with what sounded like pleasure, then started laughing, voice filled with childlike delight, as though the world was full of wonders.

"She's crazy!" yelled a young adventurer in a chain mail shirt._ I couldn't disagree. The world is fucking crazy. Where was sanity when my family died because I had fucking black fur and blue eyes?_

He charged, swinging his sword. The foxkin wasn't there. One moment, his sword had been about to impale the foxkin, and the next instant, he was squealing. On his shoulder, one dagger buried straight down next to his neck, the foxkin sat. Sword falling from his hand, he collapsed to one knee.

My owner gawked at her in wide-eyed horror.

Still laughing, she pulled her dagger free, and dark blood pumped from the wound. She jumped from him to someone else, her feet never touching the floor. Her new target recoiled, shrieking at her sudden weight, but it was already too late. His voice choked off as she sank her blade hilt deep into the same point as the other man; Only this time, her angle of attack was different.

Everyone froze. The foxkin had moved so swiftly that I hadn't been able to keep track. Intellectually, I knew she covered the remaining space, but that's not what my eyes told me. She was just here, and then she was there.

Her laughter ceased, and she cocked her head like a bird inspecting its prey, studying the two bleeding men intently. I studied her._ Damn, she's using them for target practice. That's cold. Damn ruthless, but it made fucking sense. No amount of goddamn training can match real fucking experience, and she's so damn fast none of them can fucking touch her._

"Interesting. Piercing straight down next to the neck seems fairly crippling, but at an angle, it's nearly instantly fatal."

She smiled up at a towering bruiser near the door and asked, "What if it's a steeper angle?" Instantly, she was on him and sank her dagger in the same spot. The angle was much sharper than last time. His scream choked off before it could begin.

The foxkin spoke as if she was talking to herself. "Killing with a blade is all about draining your opponent's blood as quickly as possible. At least that's what I overheard them say at the thieves guild. Thick blood vessels run through the neck, and it looks like my second and third attacks severed them quite thoroughly."

Her second victim struggled for his sword.

"Show me where you keep your blood," she said with a smile.

She picked up the adventurer's sword and placed its hilt in his reaching hand. He looked up at her, dazed and confused. So was I. That didn't stop him from staggering to his feet, and swinging at her.

Every other time she had made a single strike then changed targets. But not this time. She grabbed the adventurer's sword arm and stabbed her way up, starting from his wrist, and ending with her standing on his shoulder again. Dozens of deep cuts oozed blood, but the one into his armpit gushed more than all the rest combined.

"So," she said, "armpit next."

People exploded from the room, no longer trying to surround her, or trying to fight, they just ran, including my owner.

The foxkin happily buried a dagger into three different armpits. All entry points were under the left arm, each at a slightly different angle.

Covered in blood, she flashed a smile at me, then went back over her victims, checking to see which had died, and which were merely wounded. Every single one had only taken a single attack. One was motionless on the floor, but two others tried to attack her. She just avoided their wild swings. She appeared to be studying the effect of each strike. How much blood were they leaking? How long would they last? Could they still attack? _Utterly ruthless, without a trace of mercy. Yet, she had smiled at me. Like I was a friend._

Distantly, I heard my owner call and was forced to leave the bloody little foxkin to her research. She was more frightening than the slave collar that forced me to obey.

All but stumbling into him, I stared, suddenly remembering why we ran in the first place.

The lizardkin, still looking as pure white and perfect as before, was surrounded by bloody and broken bodies. No longer preaching, the priest that had led the clergy, floated high in the air, scowling down at her. _So much for him being a fucking priest. He's a wizard or some other damn mage._

He gestured, and arcane symbols flared into existence around him. With both hands, he threw fireball after humongous fireball down on the lizardkin. The temple shook as they exploded. They hit so quickly that it sounded like a single rolling explosion, instead of separate ones. _He's as fucking powerful as the damn lizardkin._

After several long minutes, he stopped, and I couldn't accept what I saw. The lizardkin stood there, looking as pristine as before. She hadn't noticed or perhaps didn't care, but her armor glowed cherry red from the heat of his attack._ What the hell? What the fuck is she? How could anyone fucking ignore red hot fucking metal strapped to her goddamn skin?_

She roared. Deafeningly loud, deep and rumbling, vibrating through my chest. Nothing humanoid should have been able to make that sound. Frozen white energy exploded from her gaping maw in a lance of raw destruction.

Arcane shields flared around the priest, as her breath slammed into him, driving him against the wall, high up near the ceiling. He started laughing maniacally. _Damn. Fucking hell. Another fucking crazy one?_

"A little birdy told me all about you. I can't win here, but things will be different next time. Now that I found you, I know which dungeon you must defeat first. I'll see you shortly!"

Incredibly, the lance of frosted wildfire expanded, achingly deep cold blasted through the room, breath fogging, I shivered. The top half of the temple's stonework wall had shattered.

Her mouth snapped shut, and silence fell. Nothing remained of the preacher. _Damn, did she destroy him, or did he fucking flee?_ Movement caught my attention, and I turned to find the lizardkin stripping out of her armor. Beautifully nude, she looked up at the gaping hole where the wall used to be. Wings sprouted from her back, and she took off after him.

_She's fucking gone! Holy fucking damn, what the hell are they. _I collapsed to the chilly tile floor._ They weren't fucking gods, or the goddamn city wouldn't fucking be here anymore, but no adventurer was that fucking powerful!_

Screams brought me back. Looking around, I found the foxkin stabbing people in the back. It wasn't a sneak attack. She sliced open their shirts and, just like her armpit attacks, she made a single strike in a specific location, then moved on to someone else.

I smiled. _The foxkin might be fucking crazy, but she was here for my goddamn enemies, not me._

This time my owner didn't hesitate, he ran to the back of the building, as far away from where she was as we could go. He opened a side door, and we fled into another chamber.

From there, we discovered the stairs heading down, and he ordered me to lead the way. Below the main floor, we found where the clergy lived, and on the floor below that, we found many improvised cells. They overflowed with people; all of them wore slave collars._ I recognize that dreadful silence. It only comes from a fucking room full of slaves ordered to keep their damn mouths shut._

For the first time, my owner demonstrated intelligence.

Choosing one of the few empty cells, he locked us inside.

"Slave, if she comes in, grab her! Choke her! I don't care if you need to shove your hand down her throat to do it. Don't let go, and don't let her near me."

Resigned, I listened to the distant screams and her joyous laughter. _How many damn people can one fucking foxkin kill? Once I would have been fucking horrified, but as far as I was concerned, supporting slavery made you a fucking bastard of a slaver, and I'd happily burn all fucking slavers alive. How many had there been? When we had arrived, there were at least a fucking hundred parishioners, and that was long before services started. The lizardkin had told her to 'kill the congregation,' not merely some of them. Is she truly going to kill every fucking parishioner?_ As time passed, and screams continued, I came to understand that, yes, yes she was.

I hoped the other slaves had all survived.

Much later, she stepped into the room. The terrifying foxkin dripped blood, but none of it seemed to be her own. She seemed happy.

"There you are," she said. White teeth flashed in a cheerful grin. I smiled back automatically, partially in instinctive fear, but mostly because I didn't believe she would harm me.

"If you come in, I've been ordered to grab and choke you." He hadn't ordered me to be silent, so I saw no reason to keep quiet.

She chuckled, "Good luck with that," then she was inside the cell, and his groin had a dagger sunk into it. He squealed and clutched at himself. The instant his mouth opened, she sliced out his tongue.

Before I could react, she had already dashed out of the cell. Still bound by my owner's last command, I chased her. The foxkin didn't go far. When I drew close, she would retreat towards the ground floor. Along the way, we passed many bodies, all showing signs of what I could only call methodical attacks.

She looted several leather belts as we passed. "I'll use these tie you up when we get back to the main floor."

"Good idea, and thank you for killing all those fucking bastards."

I followed her from room to room. I couldn't call it a chase, not when she was so much faster. _I've never heard of a fucking adventurer that was that damn quick. Like the fucking wizard and the lizardkin who had chased after him, I don't know what the hell she is. She isn't a damn god, but she isn't a fucking mortal either._

In the chapel, the other slaves all waited. They watched the foxkin with a mixture of horror and trepidation. I didn't understand it. The others cringed away when the foxkin drew near. _Hell, don't they fucking recognize what the fucking foxkin did for us? We owe her every-damn-thing, even if she did nothing more for us, what she has already done winnowed down the slavers, and more importantly, the money backing them. She is a gods-damned-saint as far as I'm concerned._

I chuckled, "Depending on how you look at it, Kolra, Goddess of Domination and Control, just saved a bunch of slaves from slavers. Am I the only one that finds that ironic?" _Apparently, I was the only fucking one._

The foxkin stopped dodging, and I caught her. My owner's last command forced me to attempt to strangle her. For a moment, I was worried that I would hurt her, but she had far more strength than should have been possible.

Soon she had me bound tightly with the leather belts she had picked up, and I found myself on my knees once again. This time, the one in control smiled down at me with a twinkle in their eyes.

The diminutive foxkin forced my head to rest on her thigh. Effortlessly. The compulsion forced me to struggle, so I continued to fight against her. She grinned down at me. It reminded me of tussling with my parents back when I was a child. I never had a chance against them either. She stroked her fingers gently through my hair, and it felt pleasant. Soothing. Comforting.

Then something in her eyes changed, and I was suddenly aware of how skimpy my clothes were, how close she was, and it no longer felt like playing with my parents. A shiver of longing passed through me. I wanted her to keep holding me against her. _Could I stay with her?_

Looking up at her, I asked, "What's going to happen to us?"

"Ciarra will decide."

"Is that the one that looked like a lizardkin? What is she?"

"She is... I don't know if I should say. She is My Queen, and I am her pet. She is everything to me," the foxkin said. "I like you, and playing with you has been unexpectedly fun, but if she asks me to skin you alive, that's what I'll do."

Suddenly scared for her, I asked, "Are you under a slavery enchantment?"

"No, and never suggest that again. Those collars run counter to everything Ciarra stands for. She would never use one."

"But, she's Kolra's champion, isn't slavery what her goddess stands for?" I couldn't help myself, even though the prudent thing to do would be to shut up.

"No. Ciarra lives and breathes domination and control. These collars prevent both."

"I'm feeling controlled right now," I said. _Completely fucking controlled._

"You're looking at it from the wrong side. Ciarra isn't going to look at it from the perspective of a slave. Tell me, my oh-so-controlled kitten. Who is controlling you? Your master is dead, yet you still seem to be struggling to attack me. Why?"

"The collar, of course..." I start to say.

"Exactly," she interrupts, "Your master never had domination or control over you; that was all your collar, just an inanimate object.

"The world is full of both predators and prey. Predators hunt. Nothing will ever change that. Prey has several choices. Run, hide, or find protection. The strong dominate, the weak submit. That's not just how it is; it's how it should be."

Suddenly all traces of affection drained away.

"I suspect that Ciarra will destroy the collars, and that will leave you with a hard choice to make. You will be alone, penniless, beautiful, obviously inexperienced, and far from home. What do you think will happen? I know what happened to me when I was in a similar situation."

My stomach fell. It was an excellent point, and I knew what would happen. I might not end up a slave, but unless I had incredible luck, I wouldn't be free. Running would fail. I had nowhere to go. Hiding would only work until I needed something to eat. Everything else was a variation of finding someone to protect me, and that implied selling myself.

Biting my lip, I looked up and noticed the blood drenching her for the first time since she killed my owner. Suddenly, I couldn't smell anything else. _I probably look like someone coated me with dark red paint._

She was the protection I wanted, but a woman wouldn't be interested in the only currency I had.

"I want your protection. Please, I'll do anything you want. I'll be your maid. I'm an excellent cook. Whatever you need. Just take care of me."

Her eyes were a little wide, and she looked utterly shocked, but she was already shaking her head in denial. She opened her mouth to refuse me when someone chuckled.

Kolra, Goddess of Domination and Control had returned.


	12. Kolra's Suggestion

Continuing my hunt wasn't worth the risk. He had already escaped into the dungeon, and pursuing him further would be incredibly foolish.

**You have earned the skill [Maul]**  
**You have earned a rank. [Maul I] has become [Maul II]**  
**You have earned a level. (Note: Experience limitation of one level per event triggered.)**

**Vixen has earned two ranks. [Dagger I] has become [Dagger III]**  
**Vixen has earned the skill [Dual Wield]**  
**Vixen has earned a rank. [Dual Wield I] has become [Dual Wield II]**  
**Vixen has gained a unique class.**  
**Vixen is now a [Reaper of Blood]**  
**Vixen has earned the skill [Terrifying Aura]**  
**Vixen has earned three ranks. [Terrifying Aura I] has become [Terrifying Aura IV]**  
**Vixen has earned the skill [Bloody Strike]**  
**Vixen has earned three ranks. [Bloody Strike I] has become [Bloody Strike IV]**  
**Vixen has earned a level. (Note: Experience limitation of one level per event triggered.)**

After returning to Kolra's temple, I descended through the opening my breath attack had carved into the stone structure.

Sensing Kolra, I faced her and nodded in respect. Kneeling once had been enough to satisfy honor. I wouldn't do it again. The goddess stood before her alter and watched as I approached.

"Welcome back, Ciarra," she said. "Those imposters were sent by another deity. They captured my clergy and bound them with enchanted slave collars. I had Vixen free them. Lead them in service, and you will become my High Priestess."

I glared at her, "I'm the only one that gives Vixen orders."

"Calm down. I didn't command anything. I merely suggested that her unique position as your trusted pet could be used to further your desires in ways Vixen hadn't considered. For example, she could free my clergy because she knew that's what you would desire."

I snorted. _My perfect pet will do as I wish, one way or the other, regardless of this goddesses whims._

She considered, "I also explained how being in a dungeon weakens you. She didn't take the news well. I may have created a monster," she sounded amused.

_She did WHAT?_ I growled at her. "You-" I started to say when she interrupted me.

"When were you going to tell her?"

I bit my lip. My oath kept me from lying, and I didn't want to tell Kolra the truth.

"That's what I thought. Your dragon's pride might have killed you. Vixen is your first and best defense against the champion tomorrow. She needed to know."

"I know," I sighed.

Kolra said, "Wait till you see Vixen. You forced her to become a predator, and it's caused some fascinating changes. She remains entirely submissive to you, but she'll never submit to anyone else. Her view of the world has crystalized. She belongs to you. Everyone else is prey. Even I'm just dangerous prey," then Kolra vanished.

Scenting Vixen nearby, I followed her delightful fragrance to the vestibule.

Coated with the blood of her victims, Vixen looked like the deadly killer I asked for her to become. She had forced an innocent-looking catgirl to kneel at her feet. My pet's well fitted black leather armor did little to conceal her figure, and neither did the catgirl's sheer white camise.

I could sense their lust for each other.

_Just this afternoon, my pet had desperately tried to understand her place in my world, but that anxiety is gone. Vixen is confident, and it shows. Kolra's right, she isn't submissive anymore. Except for me._

The catgirl had the spark, and she was a submissive who would relish being dominated, humiliated, and physically restrained. Her flavor was distinctly different from my pet's heavy masochism.

I wanted them both.

Leather straps bound the catgirls arms behind her back, and her legs together. She had a heavy metal collar around her neck. The young woman struggled, but my pet held her down effortlessly.

Vixen hungrily watched her struggling catgirl, her tail twitching back and forth rapidly, a genuine predator. Watching my diminutive foxkin dominate a catgirl twice her size stole my breath away.

Vixen looked up at my gasp, and her face transformed. Devotion, awe, and an intense spike of lust churned the air around her. It was almost a physical blow. I closed my eyes for a moment and basked in the glorious scent.

Once again, my little pet had blossomed into something even more magnificent. Tonight, I had planned on having Vixen's tongue between my legs, then my talons buried in her breasts, but I was suddenly driven to conquer her again. It consumed me, and I forgot everything else.

Vixen began to speak, "My Queen, this kitten wishes to beg a favor."

Then I was upon her.

I pinned her face up on top of her conquest and used storage magic to strip her armor away. Spreading her legs, I straddled one, and held the other against my chest, running up between my breasts, I rocked back and forth, rubbing myself against the short velvety fur that covered her pussy.

While I rode my pet, I also mounted her. We both shuddered and let out twin gasps of delight when my tail drove up inside her. I ground myself against the junction of my tail and her vagina. Every twist I made felt heavenly to both of us. I brought my foxkin and myself to the edge and held us there. She writhed wonderfully against me.

I considered the woman my pet had called Kitten. She still struggled to reach my pet. Mind control magic circulated through her; it came from the slave collar. My eyes narrowed as I studied it. Disgraceful magic ruined the sexy slave collar. With an extended talon, I sliced it from her neck. Neither Vixen nor I would use such a dishonorable item.

_Just like the first time I took Vixen, this Kitten should remember this moment for the rest of her life. Vixen, her conqueror, being entirely conquered by me._

So I used [Empathic Sensuality].

Reaching out with my mind, I opened a link between my pet and her Kitten. She would feel everything my pet experienced, through the filter of Vixen's masochism.

Suddenly gasping and panting, the catgirl writhed, her tender young body overwhelmed by the unfamiliar pleasure Vixen endured. I waited for Kitten to gain some control of herself, and trapped her gaze with the full force of my nature. Like all beastkin, her instincts screamed in warning the instant I released my inner predator.

She tried to freeze in place, but she couldn't hold still. Vixen's invading ecstasy forced her to squirm and whimper.

The catgirls eyes widened in horror when I drew my deeply masochist pet's twin daggers from storage, but I put Kitten from my mind. Vixen's eyes shone with desire. She licked her lips, nervously watching the blades. Vixen's fear was gone.

They whimpered with both pain and pleasure as I slowly sliced twin red lines from her shoulders, spiraling up her breasts, then cut a path from her nipples to the valley between her breasts. I paused, blades resting against the solid flesh of Vixen's abdomen. I was moments from hitting my climax when I drove both daggers into her. They screamed at the intense spike of agony and arched in harmony.

Vixen reaped overwhelming pleasure from her tortured body, and everything channeled into the catgirl. I gripped the bloody hilts tightly in my hands and gave my pet permission to join me in my climax, and slowly twisted both blades.

All three of us cried out in wordless rapture, and I collapsed on top of their convulsing bodies.

When I came back to myself, Vixen and her Kitten were still writhing in ecstatic bliss, all three of us painted with Vixen's blood. Every time my pet's still convulsing belly flexed, the buried blades sliced, and sent her over the edge again, in an endless cycle of agonized ecstasy. For several minutes I enjoyed stroking my pet's blood coated fur.

Beautiful.

But, she was dying.

I removed my little predator's blades and healed her. Both of them were senseless, entirely drained by Vixen's rolling chain of orgasms.

Pleasantly exhausted, I fell asleep, cuddling with my foxkin on the tile floor, using the catgirl as our pillow.

* * *

In the dead of night, a tongue rolling inside my pussy roused me from slumber. Unbidden, my little foxkin worked between my legs. Moaning with pleasure, I allowed Vixen to continue. _[Cunnilingus IV] was worth the points._

My pillow moved, and I glanced to the side and met the wide eyes of Kitten, Vixen's conquest. Her slitted eyes glowed, reflecting in the lit candles that surrounded us. My little foxkin must have prepared them before beginning so that I could watch her.

Kitten smelled of shock and awe, and her gaze jumped between me and Vixen's enthusiastic work. She couldn't seem to look anywhere else. My foxkin expertly worked between my legs, her muzzle rooting deep inside me while her hands stroked my folds.

Unable to bear the lack of control, I grabbed my foxkin's head and used her as I desired. I ground against her, my living dildo. _The last time I did this to her feels like a lifetime ago. It's hard to believe that it has only been a few days, or that she is the same woman._ Before she had panicked, but this time, she was completely passive. I didn't merely use my deadly little assassin as my sex toy; she willingly; No, enthusiastically submitted to her role.

When she began to lose consciousness, I pulled her out long enough to take a few breaths, then resumed my play. I used her repeatedly. While I controlled the rest of her, my foxkin's willing hands continued to stroke and caress, teasing my folds and clit.

It wasn't that Vixen trusted me with her life. It was more. If I decided to ride her until she died, she had already accepted that fate gladly.

My pet was flawless.

An orgasm exploded throughout my body, and I cried out her name in ecstasy and slid off the catgirl, curling around Vixen. I nuzzled her neck, drowning myself in the scent of her devotion, awe, and lust.

Somewhere along the line, my little pet had lost her fear. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about it, but as I continued to breathe in her devotion, I realized that this was uniquely her. Kitten already trembled at my mere gaze, and so would the others. So entirely devoted to me that she felt no fear, this scent was uniquely Vixen.

Eyes closed, I reveled in the afterglow for a long while. Eventually, I allowed my foxkin to wiggle free, and Vixen nuzzled and kissed me, then whispered that she would have everything prepared when I was ready to begin our day, and I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When I woke, the vestibule was full of people; Kolra's clergy. Perhaps a hundred of them knelt, eyes on the floor. Row after row, in an arc before me.

Vixen, still as nude as I was, knelt between us. She looked up at me, radiating love and absolute devotion. With one hand pressed down on Kitten's back, Vixen held the catgirl prostrate.

_Before becoming her High Priestess, I needed to conduct holy services in Kolra's name. My little foxkin must have arranged everything. Kolra must have told her about this requirement yesterday._

Eyes burning, my foxkin said, "Demigod Ciarra The Cold, Frozen Queen Of The Glaciers, High Priestess and Champion of Kolra, Goddess of Domination and Control, this unworthy Kitten wishes to beg a favor."

I smiled down at the young woman, and said, "Tell me, Kitten, for what favor do you beg?"

The catgirl radiated awe and controlled fear, bound by hope and lust. Her voice was firm, but it still trembled by the end, "Please, make me one of your pets."

"No," my response was firm, and the catgirl started to panic.

"Vixen, my pet, my little predator, you conquered her. Take Kitten for yourself. A well-deserved prize."

Vixen blinked, shocked, "May I share her with you?" she asked in a small anxious voice.

_Vixen's scared I rejected the catgirl because I didn't want her. A natural fear, but it's easy to assuage._

"Frequently," I replied, smiling my approval, "Perhaps constantly."

Suddenly smelling confident again, tail wagging, Vixen whispered to the still prostrate catgirl.

The catgirl spoke loudly, almost shouting, "I swear to be Vixen's loyal Kitten, on the name of Demigod Ciarra The Cold, Frozen Queen Of The Glaciers, High Priestess and Champion of Kolra, Goddess of Domination and Control."

The oathbinding flared into existence and settled into place, between the two of them.

"You may rise," I said.

Vixen released Kitten, and everyone stood up uncertainty. Kolra's clergy was amusingly nervous. _I'm sure Kolra never had a service like this before, but I'm not a normal priestess._

"Vixen, come here," my foxkin approached, and I lifted her into my arms. We faced Kitten and the clergy. Vixen would need an unobstructed view of her Kitten, so I ordered her to strip.

Flushing with embarrassment, Kitten undressed. When she tried to cover herself, I ordered her to put her hands behind her back. Kitten was completely exposed.

Then I asked Vixen what changes she wanted me to make to her pet.

Kitten stiffened, "Changes? What changes?" she asked.

I focused on Kitten and leaned in close and breathed deeply, enjoying the delightful of the fragrance of fear. "Anything my pet wants." I stroked my fingers through Kitten's bangs, causing her hair to grow in a long rainbow of colors, and turned back to Vixen. "What color would you like her hair and skin to be? Her eyes? What about her breasts? Do you want her shorter than you? Taller than me? Just say the word, and I'll sculpt her into whatever you desire."

"Thank you, My Queen."

It seemed that I had shocked my pet again, but she took it in stride. A few minutes later, she had made her decision.

"Please change Kitten's hair, ears, tail, and eyes to pink, and keep her skin light," Vixen blushed as she continued, "Make her breasts larger. And, um, can you make her tongue extra long?"

It only takes a few minutes to make the changes for Vixen, and a few additional alterations for myself. Kitten's pale skin was soon a permanent change. She'd never tan again. I squatted down and stroked Kitten's legs, removing all hair. I liked my foxkin's fur, but Kitten looked like a human with cat ears and a tail. Hairy legs were unacceptable. I did the same thing to her underarms. Kitten jumped when I cupped her sex and permanently removed her bush. With a few strokes, I gave her a facelift, fixed her teeth, sculpted her butt, and made a few other minor adjustments to her figure. Then I cupped her breasts and increased the size of her bust until Vixen was satisfied.

Using [Flesh Shaping] I boosted all of Kitten's stats and put her single stat increase into mind. In deference to Kitten's station as my pet's pet, I restricted her strength boost to half power, after all, I enjoyed watching Vixen overpower her, so I wasn't about to give her enough physical strength to spoil their game.

Joining the adventurers guild required joining the mandatory dungeon run, and we were running short on time. We needed to be at the southern gates in an hour or two. I ended the service and ordered Vixen to take Kitten to the adventurers guild so she could pick up the [Wizard] class while I ate breakfast and donned my armor.

When they returned, we would head to the southern gates together.

**Your class has evolved. You are now a [High Priestess]**  
**Quest Complete: [Become Kolra's High Priestess]**


	13. Kitten's Class & Vixen's Plans

When I untwisted the bar and opened the door, a squad of knights surrounded the temple. Apparently many nobles were missing, and all of them had attended a service at Kolra's temple last night.

I fetched Kolra's bishop, and the clever man solved the problem by telling the truth. He explained that Ciarra and I were heroes. We killed a group of imposters that took over the temple and saved the surviving clergy members. Unfortunately, the congregation had already been slaughtered by the time we arrived. Every word was the truth, they were already dead by the time I entered the room he was imprisoned in.

Kitten and I jogged to the [Adventurers Guild], leaving the bishop behind to talk to the knight-captain.

I put them out of my mind, and my thoughts returned to early this morning, and I couldn't help smiling at the memory of My Queen screaming my name.

_My Queen. Primordial dragon. Demigod. Kolra's champion. And she called out my name as though we were lovers! I'm not just someone she has sex with anymore. She cares for me!_

_Am I overthinking this?_

_No. My Queen came into the room and saw me with Kitten, then something changed. More than lust shone in her eyes. She barely glanced at Kitten. She just focused on me and fucked me senseless right there on top of Kitten._

_Then she gave me Kitten, and let me choose what changes to make to Kitten's body. My Queen is domination, control, and sex. She isn't kind, and she isn't caring. She should have made Kitten her pet._

_My Queen cares about two things, her honor, and her harem. Even if I'm the only member so far. This morning, she gave what would have been her second harem member to me, and that proves she cares about me. Nothing else makes sense._

_No, more than that, she must LOVE me. Kitten wasn't a small gift, and neither was letting me choose how Kitten would look._

I laughed and swept Kitten into a hug and gave her a deep kiss.

The only thing stopping the day from being perfect is that we wouldn't have time to play until after the dungeon.

* * *

Kitten and I entered the [Adventurers Guild] and headed for the receptionist.

"Hello, I'm Meredith. How can I help you?"

"Kitten requires the wizard class," I said, pointing at the catgirl.

"Are you a member of the guild?" Meredith asked, looking at Kitten.

"No," said Kitten.

I said, "We are doing the mandatory dungeon run this morning, so we need to finish quickly."

Meredith said, "You don't need a class to complete the mandatory run, and many people gain their first class in the dungeon. Save yourself a lot of gold by completing it first. Changing your class costs guild members ten gold, but we charge nonmembers fifty gold. If you earn the wizard class in the dungeon, it's free."

I took out fifty gold and placed it on her desk.

She looked surprised, but then she took us upstairs and knocked on a door. Without waiting for an answer, she headed inside. A balding older man looked up from his desk with a smile.

"What brings three lovely young women into my lab?"

Meredith turned to me and asked, "I'm afraid I didn't catch your name."

"Vixen."

"Kitten and Vixen, meet Edrulius. Edrulius, meet Kitten and Vixen. They have paid for Kitten to become a wizard." Then she turned back to us and said, "Let me know if you need anything else. I'll be at my desk," then she left.

"Just call me Eddy, everyone else does," said Edrulius with a child-like grin. "Kitten and Vixen? Do you really expect me to believe that's your real names?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Our parents gave us other names, but they don't matter anymore. Now, how does Kitten become a wizard?"

He grunted, then pulled out a box with several small crystals inside, and handed one to Kitten.

"Concentrate on becoming a wizard, and it will activate, changing your class, and giving you a starting spell," he said.

Kitten closed her eyes and gripped the jewel in her hand. After several long minutes, she gasped, and a wide grin split her face.

"I'm a wizard! I know [Ball Lightning], [Lightning Bolt], [Magic Armor]. and [Magic Missle]!" Kitten exclaimed gleefully, practically dancing around the room, "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Then she threw herself at me and wrapped me up in a tight bear hug. I kissed her and said, "Our Queen gave you far more than you know. This is nothing compared to what she did to your stats.

A quiet voice muttered behind us. "Four spells? How is that possible? Is it related to her mind stat? There were two cases of someone receiving two spells instead of one, and both of them had an extraordinary mind stat."

_Time to leave._

I took Kitten's hand, pulled her out the door, and went down the stairs with her in tow. Only a few adventurers were in the main room. Just before we reached the exit, a new group of adventurers entered. We dodged past them, ignoring their catcalls, and headed out the door.

I wish I had time to teach them manners.

Once we were outside, I picked up the pace, and soon we were running side-by-side, still holding hands.

I watched Kitten out of the corner of my eye.

_I'm glad I told her what happened when I found myself alone in a strange city without a copper to my name. She understood what would have happened to her without protection right away. All it took to convince Kitten was the honest truth._

_I had explained what would happen if Ciarra allowed Kitten into her harem. Kitten would enjoy fantastically intense and incredibly erotic sexual experiences, and she would become powerful enough to rival me._

_Then I talked about the price she would pay. I explained that Ciarra would accept nothing less than her complete submission, but that submission comes with security. Ciarra protects her harem members, and Kitten had already been given a personal demonstration of how potent Ciarra's protection is._

_I also pointed out that this wouldn't be the only time Ciarra fought slavers, and if Kitten joined us, she would fight them with us._

Kitten didn't notice as I slowly increased our speed. She never realized just how fast we were running. She was too distracted by her new class to pay attention to anything else. Her happy smile was infectious, and it made her even more beautiful. I felt a powerful urge to protect her from harm.

_My Queen, I can't wait to share her with you. You already know every desire Kitten has, and I know you will enjoy helping me give Kitten more pleasure than she ever dreamed possible._

I smiled as I imagined Kitten moaning beneath me in senseless ecstasy.

_I'll make sure my pet has no regrets._

* * *

When we arrived at the temple, I knew something was wrong immediately. My Queen stalked back and forth in front of a table covered with her armor.

"My Queen?" I asked.

Ciarra snarled, "I can't wear it. The heat destroyed the leather straps and warped some pieces of armor. I didn't notice the damage last night."

"Fuck," said Kitten.

"Do we have time to repair the armor, or for something new to be fitted?" I asked.

"No. It's part of the gods game. I have a timer counting down. If I'm not at the city gates in 42 minutes, I'll be teleported into the dungeon, and I have no desire to fight him alone with much of my power stripped away."

Struck with a sudden memory, I asked, "Kitten, wasn't one of your spells [Magic Armor]. Can you cast that on Our Queen?"

"I'm sorry, it's self only. I can't cast it on anyone else," Kitten replied.

Turning back to Ciarra, I said, "With your permission, I'll have your armor repaired so that it's ready for the next dungeon. If the two of you head for the gates now, I'll catch up when I finish here."

My Queen agreed, and she and Kitten headed for the southern gates.

Kolra's bishop was a smart man, and he was already waiting for me.

I ordered him to have someone take Ciarra's armor to the blacksmith, and once it was repaired, head to the [Adventurers Guild], and wait for us to arrive with Ciarra's armor.

The [Beggars Guild] was the weakest guild in the city, but I knew from experience that they knew more about what really happened than anyone else. They also showed compassion when I was a broken little girl, so I wrote a letter to the beggar's guild master.

> _Guildmaster,_
> 
> _Once I was one of your beggars. I am no longer the fearful little foxkin you taught to survive the streets, but I haven't forgotten what you did for me. Without your intervention, I wouldn't have survived long enough for My Queen to save me, and for that, I owe you a debt of honor._
> 
> _You lead the oppressed, abused, and vulnerable. Those treated as less than slaves._
> 
> _The so-called heroes of the adventurers guild either kill your people for disturbing them or open a gold-filled pouch and toss a single copper into the muck of the street, expecting you to grovel gratefully at their charity._
> 
> _The merchants guild sends their hired thugs to chase beggars away because they don't want your people anywhere around their customers._
> 
> _The thieves guild uses beggars as target practice, or worse, they torment them as they tortured me._
> 
> _But everything is about to change._
> 
> _All of the gods started playing what they call the "great game" a few days ago. Each of them has chosen a champion and turned them into demigods._
> 
> _I serve the greatest of them, Demigod Ciarra The Cold, Frozen Queen Of The Glaciers, High Priestess and Champion of Kolra, Goddess of Domination and Control._
> 
> _Kolra gave her priesthood to My Queen, and through My Queen, they are mine to command._
> 
> _I would like the beggars guild to join us._
> 
> _Whether or not you accept my offer, the bishop has a thousand gold for you, and Kolra's priesthood will heal members of the beggars guild here in Gravestead for free. Consider the information in this letter, the gold, and the healing, repayment for that debt._
> 
> _My Queen and I entered the city yesterday. She destroyed a rival champions clergy, and I killed most of the slavers guild's financial backing._
> 
> _That's the actions of one champion over the course of one day. In the next few years, nations will shatter, and kingdoms will fall. The world is changing, and none of the other champions would see you as anything more than a tool to use until it breaks._
> 
> _Gather information about the other champions. They should be easy to identify. Simply look for people more powerful than any adventurer. Don't take dangerous risks, just identify the powerful, and let us know about them._
> 
> _I'll pay a thousand gold to anyone that locates a champion for us._
> 
> _I have another offer for you personally. Submit to My Queen and become our spymaster. Instead of beggars, every one of your people that swears to serve My Queen will become one of her spies, and we will pay them one gold a month. If they perform well, increase their pay. I am willing to pay up to 25 gold a month for the best of them._
> 
> _If you accept my offer, let all of the beggar's guilds know that if they choose to submit to My Queen, they and their people will become paid spies that report to you. In return, they will receive the same protection and healing from Kolra's priesthood that you have._
> 
> _Kolra's bishop will deliver this letter to you personally. That should provide a measure of truth to my words. Direct any additional questions to him._
> 
> _Sincerely,_   
_Vixen_

Once I finished the letter, I ordered the bishop to take it to the beggars guild master personally, and for him to answer any questions she had. I left all the money I collected from the congregation to pay for what I hoped would become our new spymaster and information network. Killing a mostly Nobel congregation numbering in the hundreds had paid very well, and I would spend every coin to protect My Queen.

Then I ran to the meet Kitten and My Queen at the southern gates.

> **Name:** Ciarra  
**Title:** Demigod Ciarra The Cold, Frozen Queen Of The Glaciers, High Priestess and Champion of Kolra, Goddess of Domination and Control  
**Level:** 4 => 5  
**Race:** Primordial Dragon (Frost)  
**Gender:** Female  
**Class:** Priestess => High Priestess 
> 
> **Character Points:** 4 => 12
> 
> **Ability Scores:**  
Strength: 101  
Agility: 101  
Toughness: 124  
Mind: 101  
Will: 123
> 
> Special Abilities:  
[Powerful Existence] - Double character points gained on level up.  
[Unarmed Combat I] - Increased damage when fighting without a weapon.  
[Tracking I] - Increased chance of following targets  
New => [Maul II] - Increased damage when using large blunt weapons.
> 
> **Magical Spells:**  
[Holy Smite I] - Holy damage to a single target. Range: Sight.  
[Heal I] - Heal a single target. Range: Touch  
[Storage Magic IV] - Spacial Magic capable of storing anything caster owns. Time does not pass for stored items. Range: 10 feet  
[Water Manipulation IV] - You control water. Range: 35 feet.
> 
> **Demigod Abilities (Unique):**  
[Godling] - Has the potential to become a god.  
[Champion of Kolra] - Double character points gained on level up.  
[Flesh Shaping X] - Permanently alter targets body. Range: Touch  
[Empathic Scenting X] - Sense subtle changes in body chemistry caused by emotions. Range: Special  
[Empathic Sensuality X] - Share sensations with your lovers. Range: Touch  
[Sexual Insight X] - Innate understanding of targets fantasies and sexual desires. Target: Sight
> 
> **Draconic Abilities:**  
[Dragon Form VI] - Able to shapeshift into your dragon form at will.  
[Dragons Breath VI] - Frost based breath weapon. Works in both humanoid and dragon forms. Dragon form greatly increases range and damage. Range: 25 foot cone.  
[Tremorsense VII] - Sense subtle vibrations through the ground allowing you to pinpoint it's source and likely cause.  
[Magesense VII] - Sense the flow of magic around you.  
[Dragon Armor X] - Prevent or reduce all incoming damage from any source.  
[Thermal Immunity X] - Resistant to thermal damage and status effects.  
[Protected Mind VII] - Resistant to attacks targeting your mind.

> **Name:** Vixen  
**Level:** 4 => 5  
**Race:** Foxkin  
**Gender:** Female  
**Class:** Rogue => Reaper of Blood
> 
> **Character Points:** 2 => 6
> 
> **Ability Scores:**  
Strength: 52  
Agility: 101  
Toughness: 54  
Mind: 60  
Will: 59
> 
> **Special Abilities:**  
[Backstab I] - Increased damage when attacking a surprised or distracted target.  
[Beg I] - Increased chance of successfully begging for a favor or gift.  
New => [Bloody Strike IV] - Injuries you inflict cause additional blood loss.  
[Club I] - Increased damage when using medium blunt weapons.  
[Cunnilingus IV] - Female target received increased pleasure when you perform oral sex.  
Rank Up => [Dagger III] - Increased damage when using small bladed weapons.  
New => [Dual Wield II] - Increased accuracy when wielding two weapons.  
[Powerful Existence] - Double character points gained on level up.  
[Sneak I] - Reduced chance of being discovered when attempting to conceal your presence.  
[Resilient I] - Increased resistance to the effects of harsh conditions.  
New => [Terrifying Aura IV] - You are a terrifying presence on the field of battle.

> **Name:** Kitten  
**Level:** 2  
**Race:** Catgirl  
**Gender:** Female  
**Class:** Wizard
> 
> **Character Points:** 4 => 8
> 
> **Ability Scores:**  
Strength: 4 => 29  
Agility: 8 => 58  
Toughness: 3 => 53  
Mind: 12 => 112  
Will: 3 => 53
> 
> **Special Abilities:**  
New => [Powerful Existence] - Double character points gained on level up.
> 
> **Magical Spells:**  
New => [Ball Lightning I] - Electrical damage dealt to all creatures within 3 yards of target.  
New => [Lightning Bolt I] - Electrical damage dealt to target.  
New => [Magic Armor I] - Damage dealt to you is reduced by 25%.  
New => [Magic Missile I] - Arcane damage dealt to one or more target

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about the long delay.
> 
> Several personal things came up, including two immediate family members having critical medical issues. On the plus side, everything went as well as I could have hoped, and things are looking up.


	14. To The Dungeon

"Nivra, you must diligently resist temptation, or you will lose your purity." Lionel, our paladin, lectured me over our breakfast. I mostly ignored his ranting. I don't follow his god, but that never stopped him from preaching before, and I don't expect him to change now.

My parents are wealthy merchants, trying to buy their way into nobility. When they found out that Lord Hamelon, a high ranking noble with a sinister reputation, was looking for a new human wife, they only saw an opportunity to gain a title. At first, I was upset because he was thirty years older than me, but after learning more about him, I stopped caring about that.

Lord Hamelon's last wife never left their home, and even the long-sleeved dresses she wore couldn't cover all the scrapes and bruises. When we found out that his previous wife had died in a 'bandit attack' that left almost every bone in her body broken, my parents didn't care. They insisted that the official story was the truth._ Strange bandits. They attacked a noblewoman in her third-story bedroom, without being seen by the servants, and left without taking anything._ Only then did I realize that they didn't care what happened to me.

I wish I believed that they didn't understand the life they were about to send me into, but they weren't idiots. Once they realized I understood what Lord Hamelon was really like, they kept me under guard. After all, I was their ticket to nobility. Thankfully, they still forced me to go to church because that was where Lionel found me.

Lionel may be preachy, but he was an honest follower of Kirnthal, God of Honor and Purity. My world had been shattered when he found me crying. I had lost all hope, but Lionel didn't brush my concerns away as my parents had. He truly listened and asked intelligent questions.

He was the one who came up with a plan to save me. Heedless of the danger he immediately volunteered to help. I respect that side of him, even as I despise the way he kept trying to shove his beliefs down my throat now that we were safe.

Lionel's plan was simple. Neither my parents nor Lord Hamelon could force an adventurer to marry because adventurers were a law unto themselves. So I needed to join the [Adventurers Guild].

First, I had to escape from my parents.

When we arrived at church the next week, everyone that was too old to be included with the children, but wasn't yet married were sent to a different sermon, one that Lionel would give. Of course, that included me. Everyone else, including my guards, were excluded. While Lionel preached about the importance of chastity, I excused myself to use the bathroom. Using the key waiting for me in his office, I slipped into the mausoleum and escaped through a hidden tunnel that led out of town.

Running from my parents hurt, not because I would miss them, but because I was leaving my sister behind, and Ariana was the only one in my family worth a damn. She must have been heartbroken when she found out I had run away without saying a word, but if I had told her, then my parents might have blamed her for my escape.

Giving birth to me had damaged something inside my mother, and her midwife said she couldn't have another child. I was three years old when someone abandoned Ariana at the church. I always thought of her as my younger sister, but in truth, we don't know which one of us was born first.

Once I succeeded with the first part of our plan, I headed to the home of Lionel's friend, Wumtug, a gnome.

I was a runecrafter, one of the rarest types of wizards. It was the only good thing my parents did for me. Runecrafters take the mundane and transform it into something magical. From simple glowsticks to powerful artifacts, we create exquisite magical treasures. Depending on the object, inscribing the necessary runes and imbuing them with mana it could take anywhere from hours to years.

I loved runecrafting.

Even as a child, I never wanted to become an adventurer. It's just too dangerous, and I had no desire to sleep in the woods, or even worse, in crumbling ruins or a cave.

Now that my parents planned to send me into a fate-worse-than-death, I had a new perspective. If I couldn't trust others to protect me, then I would learn to defend myself, even though I hated everything about it.

None of my skills would help me fight, so I couldn't safely join the [Adventurers Guild's] by myself, but Lionel had that covered. Later that afternoon, he joined us, and all three of us traveled to Gravestead and would complete the mandatory dungeon run together. They would protect me.

Once we finished the dungeon, Lionel's friend and I would join the guild, and Lionel would head back to his church.

Now, we were in one of the cheaper inns, and their food was barely edible. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so I forced myself to eat, even though I wasn't hungry.

Fed up with his preaching, I took one final large bite of my omelet and shoved my chair away from the table.

"Where are you going? Leaving in the middle of a conversation is disrespectful," said Lionel.

"This isn't a conversation; it's a sermon. While I appreciate what you've done for me, I don't follow your god. Preach to your congregation. Not me. I'll be at the gates." Then I shouldered my backpack and headed for the door.

Lionel wasn't my father, and it wasn't any of his business, but that didn't stop him from acting like an overprotective father.

_My duty to my family ended when they proved I didn't matter to them. I'm going to live my life as I wish, and that includes inviting someone into my bed. The hard part will be pounding that into Lionel's well-meaning but thick skull._

_If only he hadn't chased off that muscular young blacksmith yesterday._

_I could imagine him pinning me against the wall with one strong arm, forcing a kiss on me, tongue invading my mouth. I would whimper as he roughly, painfully, squeezed my breast with his free hand. Then he would rip my shirt open, exposing... No!_

_No! NO!! NO!!! Not again!_

Cheeks flushed with desire and shame; I pushed the erotic images from my mind.

_Rape is horrible, and it shouldn't be arousing. So why do I keep having these daydreams? What's wrong with me?_

I took a deep breath and deliberately slowed my pace to a leisurely walk. I tried to reclaim the enthusiasm I had felt when I woke up this morning. _Today I'll explore my first dungeon, and tomorrow I'll join the adventurers guild. Then mother and father can't force me to marry Lord Hamelon, and I can go back to doing what I actually love. Runecrafting._

When I arrived at the southern gates, I found a covered wagon with the [Adventurers Guild] symbol painted in bright red on its side. The middle-aged human man leaning against the cart called out a cheerful greeting as I approached. His name was Josiah. We both leaned against the wagon, a few feet between us, and watched the crowd flow past in companionable silence.

Stalls lined the cobblestone road, and merchants loudly hawked their wares. Farmers drove wagons loaded with their harvest down the crowded street, or shopped at the cheaper merchants, spending as little of their hard-earned cash as possible.

The merchants and farmers had a friendly rivalry that balanced their need for each other and their mutual dislike of the nobles. I enjoyed the subtle game of defiance they played, using their bodies to delay their supposed betters.

_On paper, the nobles have preferred treatment, but these merchants and farmers used their bodies as obstacles, every humble apology was part of their delaying tactics. It's a silent battle of attrition, as they ensured that nobles pass through the street just as slowly as the rest of us._

I spotted a regal lizardkin sauntering effortlessly through the same crowd that casually impeded other nobles. She's as vain and arrogant as the other nobles, but the crowd parts around the lizardkin, people practically jumped out of her way. Some stared at her, and others deliberately avoided looking her way.

It wasn't until she was closer that I understood why they were reacting so strangely. Her dress is beautiful, but I couldn't imagine wearing it in public. Most of her cleavage was exposed. I thought the flashes of white along the side of her skirt were from colored cloth, but they were glimpses of her bare leg. With every step, a slit exposed her from ankle to thigh.

_She doesn't walk like anyone I've ever seen before. It's a dance. God, I could happily spend the rest of the day watching her walk._

With a chill, I recognized a truth I had missed before.

_The lizardkin isn't walking like a dancer. She walks like a lion stalking prey. Other nobles are fat and lazy house cats, dangerous to any little mouse in their territory, but she is a lion, deadly to everyone around her._

_Her commanding presence radiates confidence and power._

"Are you the guild representative for training future adventurers?", asked the lizardkin.

I could hardly hear her over the blood pounding through my ears.

_God, she's beautiful! So pure and white. Ethereal perfection. Her silver eyes are the same color as her nails and horns, but it's her stunning red lips that draw my attention. They look so sweet and kissable that I wish I was a man, just so that I could taste them._

Suddenly I realized my mouth was hanging open. Cheeks burning, I gulped and tried to work some saliva into my dry mouth. Just before I worked up the nerve to ask her to repeat the question, Josiah said.

"Yes, I'm Josiah. I take it, you two are here for the mandatory dungeon run?" asked Josiah.

Thankful that he replied before I could make a further fool of myself, I tried taking deep calming breaths.

_Wait! Two of them?_

I tore my eyes away from the white scaled lizardkin and found a timid looking catgirl standing next to her. The catgirl's coloring was strange, a soft pink that couldn't be natural. She wore a thin white camise like body slaves were often forced to wear. To my surprise, her eyes and lips were the same pale shade of pink as her hair. She was as beautiful as the lizardkin.

"I'm Ciarra, and this is Kitten. The last member of our party should arrive in a few minutes," the lizardkin said, with her hand resting possessively on Kitten's shoulder.

_No title? Was I wrong about her being an aristocrat? Surely, she's noble-born._

"Hello. I'm Lionel, my companions and I are also here for the mandatory run." Said Lionel as he walked up with his friend Wumtug the gnome.

_Of course, he would arrive now, before I get a chance to talk to her._

Josiah asked everyone to introduce themselves by name, class, and level. He explained that adventurers expect each other to share these three pieces of information truthfully and freely. Any adventurer that refused to share class, level, or name would quickly make enemies.

Josiah went first, "Josiah, level twenty-one Necromancer." Then he turned to me and lifted a questioning eyebrow.

Cheeks still flushed, I felt like a fool, but I soldiered on, trying to ignore the impossibly beautiful lizardkin that smiled knowingly at me. I had to cough to clear my throat. When I was finally able to speak, I stuttered, "N... Nivra, level three Runecrafter."

"Lionel, level two Paladin of Kirnthal, God of Honor and Purity." He was looking at me when he spoke, eyes questioning.

_Hell, if I hadn't fooled someone as thick-headed as him, then everyone knows. I've never responded to anyone like I've reacted to this lizardkin. Why her? Why now? Magesight doesn't show any spells directed at me, so she isn't using magic._

"Wumtug, level one, but I don't have a class yet."

_He doesn't have a class yet, but his chain mail and a mace wordlessly declare his desire to become a paladin, just like Lionel. He has been a great traveling companion, and I hope he gets his class today._

Josiah said, "People often gain a class during their mandatory run. If that doesn't happen, you can also pick up a class at the guildhall for a reasonable fee."

The catgirl says, "I'm Kitten, and I'm level two. I just went to the guildhall to become a wizard! I haven't had the chance to do anything yet, and I can't wait to cast my first spell!" her wide innocent grin makes most of us smile. She is such a cute young woman, she reminds me of my younger sister. Something about her makes me want to pat her on the head until she purrs.

"Ciarra, level five High Priestess."

My heart sank. _A priestess, Ugh. Almost all the gods oriented around battle are prudes. Hopefully, she follows one of the exceptions. And aren't high priestesses the overall leader of their faith? Why would a high priestess become an adventurer?_

Lionel and Josiah started to talk at the same time, but Lionel quickly quieted down. He respects the chain of command.

"I've never heard of a high priest or priestess becoming an adventurer. That's exciting! Can you share anything about how you differ from a normal priestess?"

Ciarra said, "I just changed from priestess to high priestess last night. Kolra said I'd gain high priestess specific abilities over time. For now, consider me a powerful healer, and leave it at that."

Ciarra smiled affectionally, looking down the street, and said, "The last member of our party is almost here, her name is Vixen, and she is a level five Reaper of Blood."

A small black and grey beastkin ran down the street towards us. The crowd fled from Vixen's path with cries of fear. As she approached, I wasn't surprised when I made out her species. Her name was all anyone should need. She was a foxkin. Most of her kind are about the size of humans, but Vixen is a little thing, smaller than most gnomes.

Panic slammed into me, and I found myself running from the terrifying foxkin. Lionel and Wumtug fled along with me. After several seconds, the feeling lessened, and I turned back around just in time to see the running foxkin leap into Ciarra's arms and cuddle against her. It reminded me of one of my friends and her pet dog.

Josiah hadn't run with the rest of us, but even he looked unsettled.

Vixen kissed Ciarra, then slid down, landing on her feet.

_Wow! She's as gorgeous as Ciarra and Kitten._

_Jet black fur covered the foxkin's body. Where most foxkin had white accents, she had silver. Her fur matched the lizardkin's talons perfectly, just as perfectly as Kitten's pink hair, eyes, and lips matched._

I took a second to check with magesight, but none of them had any magic items or hid behind an illusion spell. They really looked like that, and it was impossible.

_I know colors, and could hardly believe what I saw. Kitten's eyes and lips were exactly the same shade of pink as her hair. The metallic silver of Ciarra's horns, talons, and eyes exactly matched Vixen's furry ears and the tip of her tail. I'd suspect hair dye and lipstick, but nothing short of magic could change eye colors, and I hadn't detected any magic on them._

_The three most beautiful women I've ever seen, and they are all in an adventuring party together. They look like an artist-designed them. Perfect in every way._

For the first time, Ciarra met my eyes and instantly stole my breath away. All of them had perfect bodies, but I only reacted so strongly to Ciarra. Was it something about her attitude, or perhaps the way she moved? Whatever it was, I couldn't pull my eyes away this time.

I shivered, cheeks feeling heated, and a persistent yearning quietly building in my heart.

Distantly, over the rushing in my ears, I heard Vixen apologize for scaring us, and explain her class to the rest of them.

Ciarra stepped closer, and I shrunk away, pressing my back into the wagon as though I could disappear into the wood. Fear spiked through me as I suddenly felt trapped, even though she hadn't touched me, and I could easily step to the side. I finally managed to wrench my eyes away from hers and stare at the ground.

Ignoring any idea of personal space, she closed in on me, her left hand reached up, and a razor-sharp talon pressed under my chin, forcing me to look into her eyes again.

I gasped.

She trapped me with one finger. I couldn't seem to speak, and escaping her clutches didn't even occur to me. She leaned in, so close that her features blurred, and I slammed my eyes closed.

Moving slowly, her tail wrapped around our waists, pinning our bodies together. Intimately.

Our lips met, and the world went away.

Once, while our chaperone was distracted, I kissed a boy. If that kiss was a candle flame, this was a blazing bonfire.

Ciarra didn't ask for permission. She wordlessly took what she wanted with every demanding touch, and I couldn't bring myself to push her away.

Her flagrant disregard for propriety both terrified and excited me.

Ciarra's soft lips moved insistently over mine. She forced her forked tongue between my lips, and I tasted a hint of honey and syrup. She was sweet and delicious, like nothing I had ever imagined.

Sudden need blazed through my core, and I craved for more. I felt as though I was a starving woman presented with a holiday feast.

If she didn't care that we were both women, why should I?

I tried to embrace her, needing to touch more of her bare skin, but Ciarra pinned my arms behind my back with her free hand. Her talon still pressed up under my chin, and it held me. I couldn't move closer and didn't want to pull away.

The tip of her tail wrapped around my wrists and constricted, locking them in behind my back.

She maintained complete control. No matter how hard I tried for more, she set the pace, and I wasn't allowed to make a single decision. I panted frantically into her mouth, desperately driven by the demands of my desire.

My wrists were restrained behind my back by the same tail that wrapped around my waist. The talon Ciarra used to press up under my chin forced me to hold my head still, and she swallowed every sound I made. Her lips trapped mine, especially now that she had forced her tongue between them.

Ciarra's free hand roughly grabbed my left breast through the fabric of my shirt and kneaded painfully.

I whimpered into her mouth and fought to escape. She ignored my struggles. Her kneading hand twisted painfully, and I tried to scream, but barely a whisper escaped our unending kiss.

I strained with all my might, but she may as well have been made of solid adamantite.

I couldn't stop her and felt utterly helpless. Ciarra could do whatever she wanted to me. Absolutely anything, and I couldn't even scream for help.

It was wondrous.

After a minute, or was it an eternity, her hand released my throbbing breast, and her tail released my wrists and our waists. I felt empty and abandoned.

Without warning, Ciarra took one step back, placing an endless expanse between her body and mine, and I knew I couldn't span that gulf on my own. The only contact I had left was the single glorious talon that still pinned me in place and the bruising aching of my left breast.

Breathing heavily, I slowly came back to myself.

I opened my eyes and stared into the eyes of a predator. Ciarra seemed to gaze through to my soul. I was fully dressed, yet I felt utterly naked before her, I should have felt ashamed, but I didn't. Somehow, her burning gaze made me proud. As though a goddess had deemed me worthy of her attention.

For a long moment, I couldn't breathe, then the rushing in my ears faded, and the sounds of the city returned. I flushed with embarrassment at the realization that every intimate moment had been in plain view of the crowded gates, Josiah, Wumtug, and worse of all, Lionel.

Ciarra licked her lips, and a dangerous smile slowly curved her lips. Her talon released my chin and teased at the buttons on my shirt for a moment, then she grabbed a handful of cloth and jerked me against her chest.

She whispered, "Your fantasies are fascinating. Perhaps I'll continue from where I left off after we finish the dungeon."

Ice froze my blood, and I stared at Ciarra in horror.

Then she shoved me back and turned away, leaving me shocked and terrified.

How had she known?

Then I did what I always did, and pushed it out of my mind.

Filled with a mixture of desire and embarrassment, I watched Ciarra sashay back to her companions. I met Vixen's eyes as Ciarra used her tail to lift Vixen into her arms. In the heat of the moment, I had forgotten that Vixen had kissed Ciarra. I flinched at the sudden realization that Vixen had watched us kiss, and then she had caught me staring at Ciarra's ass.

Vixen and Ciarra were obviously a couple, even though both were women, and I should never have let Ciarra kiss me. I knew how much cheating could hurt and felt painfully ashamed. I wasn't the instigator, but I had kissed Ciarra back.

I vowed to apologize to her as soon as I could. As much as I ached for another one of those kisses, I'd never help someone cheat. No matter how much I craved for more.

Now that everyone was here, Josiah said it was time to go. Ciarra, Vixen, and Kitten were the first to climb into the covered wagon. Lionel, Wumtug, and I followed.

A long wooden bench ran along each side of the wagon. They sat on the left side, and we sat on the right. Josiah had carefully stacked a few packs on the bottom of the wagon.

Wumtug leaned into one corner, Lionel sat in the center, and I shifted into the other corner and stayed as far away from everyone else as possible.

Being trapped in a confined space with the five of them made me feel awkward and embarrassed after... whatever it was that I had done with Ciarra. Especially with Vixen trapped in the room with the rest of us.

Ciarra didn't seem to care. She sat in the center, with an arm around Kitten. Vixen laid across their laps, gazing lovingly up at Ciarra. Snuggled against Ciarra and Vixen, Kitten wasn't timid anymore. She watched me. She didn't seem upset, just curious.

I took the cowards way out, and closed my eyes, rolled away from Lionel, facing the corner, and pretended to sleep.

Lionel and Wumtug talked to each other, but I wasn't interested in their conversation.

With my eyes closed, I listened for Ciarra, Vixen, or Kitten's voice. But they didn't speak. I was only rewarded by the creaking of the wagon, and the rustling of the wind. Then Kitten started purring, and I had to fight a smile. She was so cute.

With nothing to distract me, I couldn't help but feel the aching that still radiated from my left breast. Ciarra had been very rough. Surely, she must have left bruises. I could imagine how each marked where one of her fingers had touched me.

_Why does the thought of taking off my clothes and inspecting the bruises turn me on? Why does the knowledge that Ciarra marked me make me feel like this?_

_It makes just as little sense as my daydreams, but it's far harder to ignore._

After a while, Lionel called my name quietly. I didn't react.

Speaking in what he thought was a hushed whisper, Lionel opened his big, fat, stupid, mouth and said, "Now that she's asleep, how could you do something so vile to her. You're a priestess! Such wanton debauchery and carnal sensuality should be beneath you!"

To my utter shock, Ciarra burst out laughing, a reaction I wouldn't have believed possible.

Ciarra said, "That's never made any sense to me. Why do so many religions seem to hate sex?"

Just when I thought things couldn't get any more bizarre, Ciarra raised her voice and asked her goddess, "Kolra, does Kirnthal actually believe sex is evil?

Abruptly, the presence of a goddess pressed against me, and I couldn't move. In fact, I could hardly think.

Kolra's voice echoed with power, as she responded.

"Kirnthal and I understand and respect each other. Calling him the god of Honor and Purity is misleading. A more accurate name would be Kirnthal, God of Honor and Compassion.

"His truth can be summed up into one sentence. Be guided by your honor, but temper it with compassion.

"If you sincerely desire to serve your god, then stop fighting against lust, and start fighting for honor and compassion. You dropped everything and risked your life to save one young woman you barely know, and you did it out of compassion. You asked for absolutely nothing in return, and that is what Kirnthal stands for."

Showing far more bravery than I felt, Lionel asked, "If what you say is true, then how can you respect each other? As the goddess of domination and control, you seem like his opposite."

Kolra replied, "We respect and understand each other. I never said we liked or agreed with each other. He considers Ciarra a twisted version of his ideal, and I know you're a naive child.

"Like you, Ciarra is honorable, but she doesn't temper her honor with compassion. Things like empathy and altruism have little to do with her. Instead, Ciarra's hedonistic nature is tempered by her honor.

"You tried to save Nivra out of kindness, but unfortunately for her, you failed. Ciarra can easily protect her, but only if Nivra is willing to pay Ciarra's price, just like Kitten and Vixen have done.

"The two of you underestimated how evil Hamelon is. He simply demanded Nivra's younger sister Ariana and sent a squad of his knights after the two of you. They are getting close, but if you ask Josiah to hurry, you should beat them to the dungeon. They will wait outside.

"Hamelon plans to force Nivra to attend his wedding, and then hand her over to his knights to use as their plaything.

"Nivra, I suggest you bargain for both you and your sister's lives."

Then Kolra's presence vanished, and I could move again.

One thought drove everything else from my mind. Kolra couldn't lie because all gods are bound to tell the truth.

Images of that evil man abusing my little sister flashed through my mind. My daydreams were one thing, but this was real, and I raged internally, even as I frantically looked for a way out.

_Knights! Perhaps Josiah could defeat a few, but Lionel and Wumtug wouldn't have a chance. But then, the goddess said that Ciarra could save us. Does she have some form of teleportation magic?_

Everyone stared at me. Lionel and Wumtug looked horrified, and Kitten was full of compassion, but it was Ciarra and Vixen that made me want to bolt. The looked at me as though they were wolves, and I was a plump and juicy rabbit.

Without looking away, Vixen said, "Lionel, tell Josiah about the knights. Take your friend with you."

They started to protest, and I screamed for them to go._ Lionel shouldn't need me to explain, my little sister's life is on the line, and I will do whatever it takes to save her!_

I touched my wet cheeks, trying to grasp what had just happened. A few moments ago, the world was bright and exciting. My breaths came in gasps. I was trapped once again by Ciarra's predatory gaze, but this time I didn't feel the flush of excitement; I only knew crushing fear for my sister. Ciarra knew I would do anything to save her, and despair filled my soul.

I shuddered. I could guess what would happen next.

Ciarra would force me to become her slave. I knew how much runecrafters were worth. Instead of creating exquisite pieces of art, I'll spend the rest of my life locked in a room churning out whatever enchanted item makes her the most gold.

My plans, my dreams, everything tasted of ash. Hell is creating simple but expensive firestarters and glowsticks one tedious day after another.

The silence stretched, and Ciarra seemed to drink in my fear and despair. A small smile curved her moist lips.

Was she enjoying this?

Josiah's voice rang out as he urged the horses to pick up speed.

I started to speak, but Vixen's sudden movement cut me off. She slid down and knelt on the bottom of the wagon facing Ciarra. A heartbeat later Kitten was kneeling beside Vixen. They had left enough space between them for another person, so I joined them on the floor. Swallowing my pride cost little compared to what I could lose.

I felt so powerless, looking up from my knees into Ciarra's predatory eyes. After another few heartbeats of silence, I felt a tiny hand on my back. After a few moments, another hand rested on my back, and I glanced to the side. Kitten's compassion filled eyes offered a sliver of hope that shattered when Vixen's tiny hand suddenly crushed down. It felt as though an anvil had fallen from the sky and landed on my back.

The tiny foxkin forced me to prostrate myself before Ciarra.

I asked the one question that mattered, "How can I save my sister?"

Ciarra said, "Simply swear to be my loyal pet, and I'll protect both of you."

The wagon bounced and shifted as the horses continued to pick up speed.

"Before you give your oath, it's vital that you understand something. I know all of your fantasies, and if you swear, I'm going to make all of them come true. Even the ones you try to hide from.

"That kiss was just the merest hint of what I'll do to you after we finish the dungeon."

Vixen's breath was hot on my cheek as she whispered. "Did Ciarra's kiss mean anything to you? Submit willingly. Submit proudly. Submit eagerly. Do that, and Ciarra will do far more than protect you and your sister. That petty little lordling will be ripped limb from limb. Literally. Even if I must do it myself. You have my word."

My mind seemed to kick into high gear as Vixen's whispered sentences hit home one after another.

My thoughts flashed back to Kitten's enthusiastic declaration that she was a wizard, and they way Vixen eagerly jumped into Ciarra's arms. Kitten and Vixen didn't act like broken and abused victims. And Ciarra's kiss... I might have been willing to be her pet just for more kisses like that.

Once again, Vixen whispered, giving me the words of my oath, and I repeated them eagerly. I swore for the oath to save my sister, but the trace of eagerness in my voice came from the memory of Ciarra's kiss.

"I swear to be Ciarra's loyal pet, on the name of Demigod Ciarra The Cold, Frozen Queen Of The Glaciers, High Priestess and Champion of Kolra, Goddess of Domination and Control."

I felt as though someone punched me in the stomach when an oathbinding suddenly flared into existence. Oathbindings are unbreakable, and I hadn't expected to be bound by one.

How could I have been so incredibly stupid?

The details of the oathbinding flooded into my mind, and I slowly relaxed. Ciarra didn't want a mindless puppet or even a slave. As long as I was loyal, I had a measure of freedom, far more than I had expected.

Relief overwhelmed me, and I burst into tears. While I cried, Vixen and Kitten held me protectively. Distantly, I heard Lionel angrily shouting and pulled myself free.

I hugged the middle-aged man tightly, and he quieted down. He was crying, trembling with helpless rage. He wanted to protect me, even though he knew he couldn't.

"Lionel, this isn't what you think. I'm not crying because the oathbinding was so terrible, I'm crying in relief. Vixen and Kitten are bound like I am, and we have spent several hours with them today. Are they mindless slaves? Do they seem miserable?"

Then I released him, and put my hands on his shoulders, and stared into his eyes. "You did your part. I would already be married to that bastard without your help, and after he killed me, I suspect my parents would have sold my sister to him anyway."

Lionel calmed down as I spoke, and his gaze flickered back and forth between Vixen and Kitten as he considered my words. Finally, he nodded his acceptance, although he clearly wasn't happy.

Wumtug shouted for everyone to brace themselves, and a heartbeat later, the wagon shuddered to an abrupt stop.

We climbed out, and I could see at least twenty riders galloping down the road towards us. Lionel, Wumtug, Kitten, and I followed Josiah. He headed into a vast cavern that was at least forty feet across and stepped through the shimmering white mist that marks dungeon entrances.

We looked back and found Ciarra and Vixen still watching the approaching knights. After a long moment, they joined us.

We entered the shimmering swirling white mist of the dungeon entrance together.


	15. Making Preparations

Amused, I watched Nivra. _My new pet is as timid as a Vixen-less Kitten._ Wide-Eyed, she flinched at every sound, even though the entrance of every dungeon was a safe area. Mostly. Monsters wouldn't spawn here, nor would they wander in intentionally.

_Nivra. A strange name._

_I don't like it, but I'm not going to call her human, so she doesn't fit neatly into the pattern of my pet's names. I love using themes, especially since I'll end up with so many pets, animal names aren't going to be enough. I'll need to base names on more than species. Personality traits? Or I could name them based on their role or class. Colors. That's perfect! I'll color code them, so keeping everyone's names straight will be simple, even for new harem members._

"Violet!" I blurted.

My newest pet jumped and glanced around the room, confused by my exclamation. "It's your new name," I said to her.

Proving his naivety, the paladin said, "You can't do that. Her name is Nivra. You can't just change people's names whenever you wish."

I ignored him.

Frozen in place, Violet stared into my eyes while I stalked towards her. I was close enough to touch before she blinked and looked down. Consciously duplicating our interaction at the gates, I pressed a talon under her chin and forced her to look at me.

Deep need slowly joined the scent of fear. It was thick enough to drink, then self-loathing suddenly flooded the air, instantly choking down the beautifully intoxicating emotions that had raged within Violet moments before.

She rejected her own desires in disgust and that tainted everything I wanted to enjoy.

_I'll teach her about her fantasies later. Now isn't the time. Everything must wait until the other champion is dead. Except for flesh shaping. I should boost her stats before we leave the safe room._

"Strip," I said, and she paled, smelling of horrified shock. After a moment, she flushed, and her arousal was thick in the air again.

Kitten hurried to her side and offered to hold Violet's clothing, so it didn't end up on the damp cavern floor.

Of course, a few seconds later, Violets self-loathing spoiled everything and crushed her building lust.

_Unacceptable._

"Stupid, ignorant, bigoted, small-minded, pigheaded, dogmatic, prudish, sanctimonious, hypocritical, self-righteous, holier-than-thou, judgmental, egotistical, sexist fucktards." I snarled.

Terrified at my sudden rage, she froze in place, shirt in her hands. Her exposed nipples reminded me that bras didn't exist here.

The paladin made a strangled noise, and spun around, yelling for the gnome and necromancer to do the same, but I grabbed a handful of his thinning hair and dragged him over to Violet, and forced him to look into her cringing eyes.

"This," I screamed at him, "is what happens when society lets ignorant narrow-minded twits control their so-called morality. Just a few moments ago, Violet all-but-panted with desire. Being ordered to strip made her feel frightened and helpless, and that made her feel wonderfully aroused.

"It was beautiful."

"Then your training kicked in, and everything was replaced with self-loathing. And that," I yelled, "is what you've done to your women!"

He dared to look confused, "But, she shouldn't feel aroused by that."

I took a slow breath. Another. "Sexuality is a complicated thing. Being aroused by being forced, or feeling helpless, or from pain is entirely natural. I think it's been bred into you mortals. For millions of generations, men and women have been raped and abused. Eventually, the survivors, or their descendants, learned to take what pleasure they could from their miserable lives.

"Not everyone fits into your neat little box of 'one man and one woman having missionary sex, once a month, in the privacy of their own bedroom, with the lights out.'

"Some of us LOVE sex in all of its assorted variations! What she," I jabbed a finger at Violet, "finds arousing isn't anyone's fucking business except hers and mine."

He backed away as I hunted him down snarling, "The point isn't that Violet felt aroused, the point is that she was filled with self-loathing because of what she FELT when I forced her to strip.

"She believes her completely natural feelings are something to be ashamed of, and firmly placed the blame where she was trained to place it. On herself. Just. Like. You. Taught. Her."

His chest plate crinkled as I picked the paladin up with one hand, and pitched him into the wall on the other side of the room. Rock shattered under the booming collision.

Seething, I spun back just in time to see Kitten rip the last of Violet's clothing free, and drop silently to her knees.

Violet was nude.

Wide, terrified eyes flicked back and forth between my face and the paladin's crumpled form. He was half-stuck in the wall, held in place by the crater at the epicenter of his impact point.

Laughing, Vixen cuddled against my side, stroking my inner thigh. She was the only one that didn't reek of fear. I was grounded by the ever-present scent of her awe, devotion, and lust.

Vixen purred, "The righteous will see the wrath of My Queen, and they shall know true despair." We strolled back to Violet.

I pulled up Violet's stats. She didn't have any fighting abilities, and I wasn't impressed by her actions so far. Having a runecrafter was useful in the long run, but in combat, she was more of a liability than an asset, at least for today.

"Close your eyes," I barked, and Violet's eyes snapped closed with a yelp. _After I finish, I'll let Violet see the changes all at once._

Violet jumped and let out a short shriek when I grabbed her chin and slid a finger along the inside of her mouth. I reformed her teeth, so they were perfectly straight and white. I stroked my hands along her skin, leaving flawless flesh behind. She shivered at my touch but didn't say a thing. Obviously, I had left an impression.

Sculpting her figure helped me relax the rest of the way. I didn't want everyone to be the same, so I made Violet less muscular than Kitten, and gave her a more substantial bust. I firmed it up nicely. Instead of Kitten's bubble butt, I gave Violet a heart-shaped one. After that, I removed her body hair, except for a landing strip between her legs.

In a word, I gave her a 'curvy' figure. Generous bust, petite waist, and full hips.

Then I gave her a facelift and sculpted her eyebrows with two quick strokes. After I brushed her tears away, I used flesh shaping to mimic makeup by altering her skin color. When I finished, she appeared to be wearing black eyeliner, with mascara and shimmering pale indigo eye makeup.

It was time to turn my attention to her hair.

_Since she's a non-combatant, why don't I have a little fun?_

When I finished it cascaded down her back and stopped a fingerbreadth from the floor. I stroked her hair, changing the color. Starting with dark violet roots, I shaded through to indigo by the time I reached the top of her butt. From there, I continued down until her hair ended with a bright shade of light blue.

I matched the color of her pubic landing strip to the shades of indigo her hair had at that height. Then I made her eyes medium indigo, and her lips dark indigo. Her new coloring brought out the undertones of her olive skin beautifully.

In the spirit of having fun with a non-combatants figure, I went back to her breasts and made them even more... bountiful.

A thought suddenly occurred to me. "Violet, what stat is most important to Runecrafters? Mind or Will?"

Violet licked her lips. "Both are valuable," she said, "The higher someone's mind stat is, the more intricate runes they can create. The higher will a runecrafter has, the more power they can infuse their creations with. For example, someone with a will stat of two would create a firestarter using the same rune that a runecrafter with a will of eight could use to create a wand of firebolts."

A note of pride enters her voice, "They say anyone can become a runecrafter with discipline and practice, but to become a first-class runecrafter, you must also have eight or more in both mind and will. I have what it takes to become one of the best."

I rechecked her stats, and she was right. Actually, she understated her stats. Both mind and will were the normal human maximum of ten, although all of her other stats stunk.

"Open your eyes, and take a look at yourself," I said. My mood improved as I watched Violet's slack-jawed self-inspection, so I pulled a mirror out of storage and handed it to her.

Her scent twisted amusingly back and forth between grudging delight and angry resentment.

I chuckled.

After a few minutes, I allowed her to get dressed. Her trousers fit well enough, although they were far tighter now. Forget buttoning her shirt, she couldn't close it anymore. The wide-open strip left most of her chest on display. _Perhaps I went overboard, but they'll be fun to play with._

"Time to fix your stats."

She panicked. Violets rush of fear and confusion blasted away all semblance of being a weak little prey animal.

"NO!" she shouted frantically, "Don't do it! I know my other stats are low, but I don't need them as a runecrafter. Don't reduce my mind or will; I'll create amazing things for you!"

"Reduce?" I asked.

Using [Flesh Shaping], I quickly increased all of her stats by fifty, then split the additional fifty bonus points between mind and will. A toughness of fifty-three would make her much harder to kill.

"Who said anything about reducing?" I continued.

Then I pulled up Violet's stats and made them visible so all my pets could see them.

Violet fainted.

I grinned with delight.

Leaving Violet under Kitten's care, I approached Josiah. He and Wumtug stood near the paladin's corpse. I scented little more than fear from Josiah, but Wumtug's scent wasn't so simple. Yes, there was fear and anger, but the most potent odor was respect.

I scratched my favorite pet's head while I talked to Josiah and Wumtug.

"What must we do to complete the mandatory guild run?" I asked Josiah, getting right to the point.

With shaking hands, he pulled out a wooden container with a dozen small vials. "Everyone wishing to join the adventurers guild must form a group. Then kill a silver slime, and fill one of these vials to the halfway mark with its ooze. Then you must kill a giant cave spider, and add five drops of venom to the vial. Finally, add a pinch of bat guano from the boss's room in the center of the dungeon. Bring the results back to the adventurers guild in Gravestead."

I nodded and asked Wumtug if he still wanted to come with us. After a few seconds of uncertainty, he said yes.

Taking out his adventurers token, Josiah used it to form a group with me. Then he touched it to Wumtug and Vixen so that each of them could join.

We walked over to Kitten and Violet. Josiah made a choking noise, he stared at Violet's stats with bulging eyes. I swatted his head and snarled for him to finish his job and get out of our way.

Shocking my pets is fun, but I didn't care about some adventurer that was thoroughly outclassed by the weakest of them. Anyway, I'd never invite a male to join, so he was worthless to me.

I discussed tactics with Vixen. While we didn't fear any of the monsters in here, the enemy champion was deadly. We both thought Wumtum should lead the way, and Kitten and Violet should be protected in the center of our formation, and that I should guard the rear. Our only real disagreement was about Vixen's location.

Initially, I wanted her to stick close to me so that I could protect her from all danger, but Vixen argued that she should stay right behind Wumtug and protect him from the dungeon's normal monsters. If he died the first time a slime attacked us, then he wouldn't be available to draw the enemy champion's attacks.

Now, I regretted killing that foolish paladin. Good cannon fodder was hard to come by.

After deciding on our formation and marching order, the five of us left the safe area.

Wumtug led the way, closely followed by Vixen. Kitten and Violet made up the center of the formation, and I took the rearguard position.

**Name:** Violet  
**Level:** 3  
**Race:** Human  
**Gender:** Female  
**Class:** Runecrafter

**Character Points:** 6 => 12

**Ability Scores:**  
Strength: 2 => 52  
Agility: 3 => 53  
Toughness: 3 => 53  
Mind: 10 => 85  
Will: 10 => 85

**Special Abilities:**  
[Magesight II] - See the flow of magic around target.  
New => [Powerful Existence] - Double character points gained on level up.  
[Rune Carving II] - Inscribe a magical rune onto target inanimate object. Note: quality of object may affect rune quality.

**Magical Spells:**  
[Clean II] - Clean target inanimate object. Range: Touch  
[Inspect II] - Understand the properties of target inanimate object. Range: Touch  
[Repair I] - Repair target inanimate object. Range: Touch

**Runes Discovered:**  
[Grow] - Increase volume of target.  
[Heat] - Output thermal energy.  
[Light] - Output light energy.  
[Link] - Links two or more runes together.  
[Mass] - Increase mass of target.  
[Pulse] - Convert energy output of linked rune into a wave.  
[Reverse] - Invert output of linked rune.


	16. First Dungeon Exploration

We moved slowly through the rocky caverns that made up this dungeon. Cold water dripped from stalactites, each drop echoing in the dark.

Facing away from my pets, I guarded our rear. Vixen and Wumtug each carried one of the long wooden poles I purchased in town. They checked the ground for traps and pitfalls by tapping the ground in front of them.

Between [Tremorsense] and [Magesense], the world should have been an open book. Unlike it's weaker single-target cousin [Magesight], my [Magesense] sensed all magic around me, down to the most intimate of details. Even invisibility was just another spell for me to detect. My [Termorsense] was rank seven, so it worked in the air as well as the earth. Every movement I made and every step I took rippled through the world around me like a bat's echolocation.

Each tap they made should have been an explosion of information. Now, it was just sound. Entering the dungeon had blinded me, even if my eyes still worked.

_Anything could be waiting around the corner._ A chill ran down my spine. Nothing had attacked us yet, but this was a dungeon, so it was only a matter of time.

Darkness surrounded us, even with our lightstone. I watched for movement behind us, while the rest of the group faced the path ahead. Violet kept the light between us, protecting our night vision. She was doing a better job than I had expected.

"My Queen," Vixen said, "We've reached a large cavern. I can't see the other side."

"Watch your eyes, lightstone incoming," I said, pulling one from storage. I tossed it behind me, deep into the unexplored area.

The lightstone splashed to the floor. I was startled by the unexpected sound, and couldn't help glancing at the lightstone behind me. It glowed in a couple of inches of water. The chamber was huge. Because the light didn't reach the far walls, or pierce the shadowed ceiling, I still didn't know how large the cavern was.

I turned back just in time to catch a bullet of gooey green gunk in the face. Blinded, I hollered, "Slimes!", heart pounding in my throat.

I wiped a hand across my eyes, but it wasn't much help, so I used my skirt. I blinked the last of the mess away.

Several green slimes raced towards me, the largest of whom barely reached my knees. _Slimes are slower than I remembered._ I wasn't in any danger, but my heart still raced.

Wumtug ran past, charging the leading slime. He slammed his mace down, but it bounced off. He didn't hesitate. He just screamed his fury and pounded down again. Like a bubble, the slime popped. _One down, three to go._ I hefted my maul and stepped forward to join him.

Lightning crackled, and they all died instantly, along with our night vision. _I'm so used to using physical strength that I forgot about my magic. We dragons rarely sit back and cast spells. We rend and destroy with our teeth, claws, and tail._

Violet said, "Ciarra, do you have more lightstones?"

"I have ten more," I replied.

Violet said, "Good. Spells will blind us when we need our sight the most, at least if we continue exploring like this. We can't hide from the monsters that live in the dark, so why minimize our light? If we had a half-dozen of them, a wizard's lightning bolt wouldn't blind us. At least it wouldn't blind us for as long."

_Huh. She's right. The same argument works against the champion just as well._

"Good point," I said, and passed everyone a lightstone.

"Everyone followed the plan. Well done, Wumtug and Kitten, both of you did an excellent job attacking. Vixen and Violet, thanks for watching our backs." I said.

They had performed well. Vixen and I were far more concerned about the other champion attacking while we were distracted by monsters than anything else. Vixen kept her focus to the front, although that had meant ignoring the fight behind her back.

"Wumtug and Kitten, guard our backs. I have an idea," I said.

Standing next to Vixen, I pulled a couple more lightsticks from storage and dropped them into the water. I used [Water Manipulation] to carry three lights off into three different directions. I kept forgetting I had the spell. To the left, I discovered five grey slimes. Using powerful jets of water, I slaughtered them.

"Silver slimes," Wumtug said excitedly, taking out his glass vial. "Remember, Josiah, said to fill them to the halfway mark."

Nothing else moved within the range of my spell. As a group, we stepped into the cavern and added silver-grey ooze to all of our vials. We explored the cavern, but only found a few copper coins.

Three different paths continued forward. I chose the right one, but I wasn't ready to leave yet.

I pulled several barrels from storage and filled them with water. [Water Maniplation] could be powerful, but I needed a water source, and I couldn't control water inside living creatures.

* * *

We killed well over a hundred slimes before we were ready to camp.

Their coloring wasn't just for appearance. While all slimes spat balls of ooze, except for that, each color was different. Green ones were resistant to physical attacks. Wumtug said blue slimes resisted magic, but with our stats, Kitten and I could tell. Silver slimes lived in shallow water and were much faster than the other two.

In theory, a group without casters could outrun green slimes, and a group without melee fighters could run away from blue ones. Neither group could escape silver slimes, but both groups could kill them.

It's a reasonable test for someone planning on becoming an adventurer.

My group had no such problems. We took turns fighting slimes. Even Violet joined in by throwing rocks at them. While throwing sounded like a weak attack, it wasn't, not when you take into account how much strength I granted my pets.

Vixen was the only exception.

My perfect pet was always on guard. Disregarding these weak monsters, she kept alert, watching for the missing champion. I couldn't have been more pleased. Vixen had detected multiple slime ambushes before they attacked. She also discovered several traps before they could be triggered.

Being attacked with a fireball in the confines of one of the caves that connected these caverns would be an unpleasant way to wake up, so Vixen and I made sure we stopped for the night in a large cavern. I used my maul to break off a giant stalagmite and wedged it into the only exit.

I felt safe enough, although we wouldn't sleep without setting up the watch rotation.

Vixen kept watch while Wumtug and my pets set up camp.

I handed everyone a plate of forest drake, and we ate in silence. _As delicious as this is, I would like more variety._ None of the fights had been difficult, but I wasn't safe. I wouldn't be safe until I killed the other champion.

After dinner, I had Wumtug relieve Vixen while I reviewed my pet's status updates.

**Kitten has earned a level. (Level 3)**   
**Kitten has earned a rank. [Ball Lightning I] has become [Ball Lightning II]**

**Violet has earned a level. (Level 4)**   
**Violet has gained the skill. [Throw]**

**Kitten has earned a level. (Level 4)**   
**Kitten has earned a rank. [Magic Missile I] has become [Magic Missile II]**   
**Kitten has earned a rank. [Ball Lightning II] has become [Ball Lightning III]**

**You have earned a level. (Level 6)**   
**You have earned a rank. [Holy Smite I] has become [Holy Smite II]**   
**You have earned a rank. [Water Manipulation IV] has become [Water Manipulation V]**

**Vixen has earned a level. (Level 6)**   
**Vixen has gained the skill. [Alert]**   
**Vixen has earned two ranks. [Alert I] has become [Alert III]**   
**Vixen has gained the skill. [Trapper]**   
**Vixen has earned a rank. [Trapper I] has become [Trapper II]**   
**Vixen has earned two ranks. [Sneak I] had become [Sneak III]**

_Why are we leveling so quickly? Gaining new skills and ranking up shouldn't happen so often either. I can't believe I've already reached rank five in [Water Manipulation]_

I projected the thought to Kolra, and her mental reply was instantaneous, "[Powerful Existence] does far more than doubling character points. Experience is multiplied. New abilities are more likely to be granted, and the same goes for ranking up existing abilities.

"It's the one special ability that every champion shares. If any of you were to stop leveling, you would soon become easy prey for the other champions."

_Do the other gods realize I've given the ability to all my pets?_ I mentally asked.

Her mental grin was savage. "No. They have no idea how powerful your pets are. When [Flesh Shaping] was approved, we hadn't created that skill. Then, when we finally came together to design [Powerful Existence], every deity saw it as a way to ensure that the world couldn't interfere with their champions."

I laughed. _This is going to be fun._

Her response wiped the smile from my face and brought an angry snarl to my lips. "Don't be a fool. You are unique among champions. All of the gods know who you are, and that makes you a target. Do you think you'll fight them one at a time?

"Grouped or not, the game will limit both sides to six combatants inside dungeons. It's not a limitation you can wiggle around. The more they fear you, the more they will ally against you. It has already begun.

"Not all gods bothered to have worshipers on the game world, but most of them have a champion in the game. Last time there were 835 champions, and the game took two and a half centuries to finish. We expect this one to be larger, and to take longer."

Stunned, I stared off into the distance. _Hundreds of champions? That's a problem._

"My Queen?" said Vixen, glancing at me with concern, "Is something wrong?"

With a sigh, I gave her the bad news. "Kolra said their last game had over eight hundred champions, and this one should have more. Even worse, they have already begun to rally against us."

"I'll need to advance my plans," she said with a grimace. "I expect to have a spymaster waiting when we return to Kolra's temple. Assuming she did agree to my offer, she will already be looking for other champions." Vixen's eyes flashed, "I'll kill them all!"

"A spymaster?" I asked.

She blushed. "It was supposed to be a surprise. The beggars guild has little power or money, but they know everything that happens in the streets. Champions should be easy to find. The beggar's guild, and especially their guildmaster treated me well, so I had the bishop take a letter to her, and promised gold and free healing to the guild for taking me in when I was a child. But I also asked her to become your spymaster. I promised her that any beggar that swears to become one of our spies would receive gold. It's a ready-made network just waiting for someone to take advantage of it."

"My perfect little pet," I said, and pulled her into my lap for a kiss. "I'll reward you properly when I can give you the attention you deserve."

_My perfect little pet wouldn't have survived long enough for me to find her if it wasn't for the beggars guild._

"Introduce me to her when we get back," I said.

I summoned an uncut diamond from my horde and considered it. The priceless jewel filled my cupped hands. It didn't look like anything special, and most people would see an unusually thick piece of broken glass, but it was invaluable. That was fitting.

"That can't be what it looks like!" said Violet from across the fire.

"The dwarves of Kinathor once gave it to me as part of a peace offering. If the fools had just stopped attacking and fulfilled their contract, I would have been happy to leave.

"Kinathor's Heart is the largest uncut diamond in existence, at least according to the dwarves.

"It's a gift for your old guildmaster. One perfect uncut jewel for another."

Tail wagging, Vixen smothered me with kisses.

Violet's scent seethed with outrage. After a few moments, she went to the far side of our camp and leaned against the wall. She wept alone, but she would learn.

After a long while, Vixen took the first watch. Wumtug would take the second, and Violet the last.

I planned to nestle Violet in my arms and spend some time exploring her body. But before I could call her over, Kitten asked if she could join me. Kitten's fear and resolve combined into something that reminded me of spicy syrup. Kitten, with her desire to be bound and restrained, would be fun, although I had looked forward to something... darker than her desires.

I marveled at the difference between her and Vixen. Not the differences between their bodies, that hardly mattered to me, but the difference in their desires. Many of their kinks matched, but they still had entirely different needs.

Vixen submitted utterly, preferably amid the fires of violence and agony. Once things had been different, but my absolute domination of Vixen was now a cherished gift she gave me, instead of something I took with my overwhelming strength.

Kitten was a gentler thing. She ached to submit, but could only do so once she was physically helpless, and every decision taken away. Neither violence nor pain played any role in Kitten's desires.

Without a word, I gently, but firmly, wrapped my tail around Kitten and pulled her into my bedroll. It's long slim length pinned her legs together from ankle to waist. I forced her arms up above her head, then sprouted wings and wrapped them around her.

Vixen's Kitten was my body pillow. My tail and wings bound her as thoroughly as steel, and my hands were free to explore.

I preferred to make my pets lose themselves in ecstasy, but I had given Kitten to Vixen. So, I wouldn't be her first. My perfect pet would take that pleasure, along with Kitten's virginity, for herself. I kept my hands away from her pussy and restrained my lust.

I would find another way to enjoy myself.

Besides, both Kitten and I needed to be at our best tomorrow, and if you weren't exhausted after sex, then you weren't doing it right.

I tickled her sides, up under her arms, and across her belly. Sometimes I focused on one spot, only to suddenly change to a new location. Kitten never knew where I would attack next. Tightly bound by my flesh, she could barely writhe, let alone escape. All she could do was laugh and whimper.

"No more! Please, you're going to make me pee," Kitten said.

"That's easy to fix," I said, cupping her pussy mound with one hand. She couldn't pee on me if I sealed up her bladder. [Flesh Shaping] magic reached through her clothes as though my hand rested on bare skin. I finished a heartbeat later.

Wide-eyed, Kitten watched me like a bird watches a housecat.

I covered her mouth with mine, taking her voice away, and focused on truly tickling her.

Tickling wasn't something I typically enjoyed, but she spasmed wonderfully against me, totally overwhelmed by my fingers running along her side and the tip of my tail tickling under her toes.

My lips curved against hers as I swallowed her screams.

When I finally stopped tickling, Kitten laid there gasping. I gave her some time to recover, although I wouldn't relax my hold until the morning.

I licked and nibbled at one ear, careful to be gentle, especially when my teeth brushed sensitive flesh. I teased and touched, this time without tickling. Kitten responded beautifully. At first, I stayed outside Kitten's clothing, but only at first.

Kitten purred, as she melted into me, her bliss filling the air with the aroma of vanilla.

Our bodies ached with unrequited passion. Once I hated that feeling, but things were different now. I would drink my fill of Kitten time and time again. I savored every moment because I knew I would not be left wanting.

Eventually, we both fell asleep.


	17. Taking Care Of Business (Vixen)

I woke Wumtug when my watch ended. He still seemed a bit shell-shocked, but that was understandable. My Queen had been blunt when she informed everyone that a powerful mage would ambush us before we left the dungeon. Wumtug didn't ask about running. He had earned my protection, as long as it doesn't endanger My Queen or her pleasure.

My Queen slept with Kitten trapped in her arms, both smelling of lust and arousal. I smiled and spent several long minutes enjoying the view before slipping into stealth and turning away.

Just like I taught Kitten, it was time to teach Violet. Then give her some time to accept the truth and to understand her place in Ciarra's harem. As incredible as My Queen is, she doesn't seem to understand mortals. Kitten appears to have accepted her position, but Violet is a different story. Hopefully, she doesn't force me to kill her, but our deaths would be a small price to pay for My Queen's pleasure.

Kolra swore that when we were successful, Ciarra would become the prime deity of our world. My vision blurred. Whatever it took, at any cost, I would make that happen.

When I found the human woman, she was lying on her side, back against the wall. As far from Ciarra as she could get without leaving the protection of our camp. Still awake. Still crying. It wasn't a good sign, but the first day is overwhelming.

**You have earned a rank. [Sneak II] has become [Sneak III]**

Her unbuttoned shirt had fallen open, exposing a breast through her bedroll. My Queen had certainly made them quite… significant. I've seen more generous ones, but only on a minotaur. Do they produce milk like minotaurs are rumored to? My cheeks heated. I'd never considered it before, but now I couldn't help imagining drinking directly from the source. If she didn't make that change to Violet, I could ask her to change Kitten. But, it feels wrong to ask My Queen for anything. We exist to serve, not to beg for favors.

I put the thought out of my mind. I was here for something far more crucial…

"You're awake," I said, dropping out of stealth right in front of her.

"Wha...," she flinched. "Oh, it's you."

Violet grumbled, "Is it time for my watch already?"

"No, but we need to talk."

"Are you here to threaten and bully me?" she asked, trying to sound unconcerned. Only the slight tremor of fear in her voice gave her away. She's brave and smart. Perhaps this conversation will be all she requires.

"You must have questions. I'm here to help you find the answers you need."

"You can't help. Not with this," Violet said, looking at Ciarra's sleeping form. "Sometimes Lionel was arrogant, but he was a good man. He saved me, and now I'm oathbound to be the 'pet' of the woman that killed him. How can I let that go?"

Interesting that she starts here. I expected her to ask about the changes to her body and stats first. Asking about Lionel first says a lot about her. She's loyal, even though she didn't like him.

"Kolra, Goddess of Domination and Control, suggested that you bargain with Ciarra for your lives. How did you think Our Queen would save you and your sister?"

She started to speak a few times, then shook her head, "I never asked, but I assumed that Ciarra would send some of Kolra's clergy. A few powerful paladins and clerics could probably stop him. Lionel probably thought the same thing."

"That's the assumption that caused his death."

That got her attention.

Her eyes snapped to mine, and she jumped to her feet and glared down at me.

She tried to cross her arms, but her new bust was too large for that. After several attempts, she crossed her arms under her breasts. I carefully held back my smile, I didn't want to alienate her, but it was amusing. My Queens power was strange. The changes she makes feel so natural that you don't even notice them most of the time. Then something like this happens, and you can't help but notice. Not that I had experienced that problem with my more modest bosom.

Violet towered over me. She was at least twice my height. As hard as she tried, her glare wasn't intimidating. At least to me. After all, I could simply kill her before she even realized she was in danger. More importantly, death no longer scared me. Nor did torture. The only thing I feared was failing My Queen.

"If this cavern held a dragon, and I poked it with a stick. Would you blame the dragon for my death?"

She continued glaring with flat eyes.

I grinned up at her innocently.

"Okay," she finally said, "I'll bite. I wouldn't blame him, and that's obviously what you want me to say."

"You both assumed Ciarra was a lizardkin, but Our Queen is far more than she appears to be. Ciarra isn't a lizardkin, she's a dragon. More than that, she's a primordial dragon.

"Impossible," Violet said flatly. "She's lying."

I snarled as I released [Terrifying Arua], sculpting the area of effect so that only Violet was affected. She whimpered and backed away, shivering with fear as she slid along the wall. I stalked after her, flaring my aura, twisting it around her so that she drowned in terror.

It wasn't enough.

My aura crashed down on the unfaithful bitch with an almost audible impact. Violet collapsed to her knees, weeping and begging, out of her mind with terror. She wasn't worthy of My Queen's attention.

What am I doing? It's My Queen's decision, not mine! And... Violet doesn't know any better. Teaching Violet the truth about Our Queen is the right answer, not killing her for lacking that knowledge.

I released my aura, freeing her from its grip.

Several long minutes later, she had recovered enough to continue. To my surprise, she managed to glare at me, although she still shivered with fear. It proved that she was much tougher than she initially seemed.

Your skill has evolved. [Terrifying Aura] has become [Undeniable Presence]  
You have earned three ranks. [Undeniable Presence IV] has become [Undeniable Presence VII]

Only when the divine notification appeared did I realize what I had done. Somehow, I shaped [Terrifying Aura] so that it only hit who I wanted it to affect, and then used it as a weapon.

Against one of My Queen's pets.

I bowed low, "I apologize, I reacted inappropriately. You did not deserve that, and I owe you a favor."

She nodded but didn't actually accept my apology, so I let the subject drop. Even My Queen couldn't change the past.

Returning to the topic, I said, "I've seen her character sheet, and I've heard the truth from Kolra herself. Ciarra is a primordial dragon. She was there when the gods created the world, and she was ancient long before our ancestors discovered fire.

"That incredible being," I gestured at Ciarra's sleeping figure, "is in the process of becoming a goddess. Defeating this champion is one step along that path. When we finish, she will become a goddess, and you have an opportunity to be with her when that happens. Serving Our Queen is an incredible gift. She has chosen you. Giving you the chance to be part of the most important events our world will ever experience. The birth of its new goddess.

"I'm the first member of her harem. You are the second."

Her lips twisted in distaste as soon as I mentioned the word harem. Holding back my anger, I tried to explain.

"You instinctively hate the idea. That's foolish. Yes, we exist to give Our Queen pleasure. But, remember the new stats she gave you. Do your stats belong to a pleasure slave in a foolish mortal ruler's harem, or do they belong to the Grand Runemaster of a Goddess?"

"But…" she started to object.

"Our Queen asked you which stats were most relevant for a Runecrafter. You said Mind and Will. She gave you 85 Mind and Will. Has any Runecrafter ever had even half your stats? There is absolutely no question. She expects you to become much more than any other Runecrafter ever has. You are Our Queen's Grand Runemaster.

"Serve Ciarra well, and you will become the greatest runecrafter that has ever lived. You will know every rune, and have every runecrafting ability at rank ten. You receive all of this by simply serving to the best of your ability. You don't even need to forgive her. Alternatively, or you can continue to rage against a Demigod for killing someone that angered her. Repeatedly. And throw all of that away."

Eyes wide, she stared at me, and I could almost feel her slowly coming to believe the truth of my words.

Striding forward, I invaded her personal space. Violet fell back and tripped over her own feet. Before she landed, I moved past her falling body. When she landed on her back, I stood on her chest. Now, I was the one that towered over her.

"Ciarra said she would make your fantasies come true, and I think you assumed it was an unimportant comment. But I know better. When she didn't explain the oathbinding in detail, I presume your fantasies are quite... intriguing.

"You see, Ciarra is utterly honorable. She would never oathbind anyone without explaining exactly what they had agreed to… Unless they had already agreed to something worse. So, I can't help but wonder. What do you fantasize about that's worse than being oathbound as a literal pet?"

Violet flushed and looked away. "She couldn't know," she said quietly.

"Ciarra has [Sexual Insight]. The ability gives her an innate understanding of fantasies and sexual desires. It's rank ten. Trust me; she knows everything. When she promised to make all of your fantasies come true, she meant every word."

Violet gulped and looked away. Trembling, she adjusted her clothing. Carefully avoiding eye contact.

I knelt down, cheek to cheek, and whispered into her ear, "I could smell your arousal when Ciarra kissed you. Imagine spending hours with her focused on nothing but wringing every drop of pleasure from your body and mind. She will shatter your soul with those fantasies you're trying desperately to avoid. But, she will also turn you into something greater than you could ever have imagined."

Her heart beat frantically, and her breaths came in short gasps.

"I've been where you are. Hiding. Running from my desires. I wore a mask so the world wouldn't despise me. I clung to the mask so tightly that I forgot that it was there. I crushed my true self in hopes of being accepted, and I was rewarded with a miserable and lonely existence. My Queen ripped the mask away. She forced me to embrace everything I had tried to run from, and now I truly live."

I stroked her cheek.

" She will do the same to you. Becoming her pet granted eternal youth and the stats of a demigod, but that's nothing compared to what comes next. After she finishes with you the first time, and you lie there recovering from unimaginable ecstasy. That's when you'll realize that all of that was the least of her gifts. You will find yourself blessing Ciarra for claiming you as one of her own and taking you into her harem."

I kissed her cheek. Gently.

I could feel Violet's eyes following me as I walked back to My Queen, leaving her to think about what I had said.

I thought I had nothing left to give Ciarra until Kolra revealed the truth. My breath caught in my throat as I imagined laying prostrate before My Queen after she becomes a Goddess and offering the only part of myself she didn't already own.

My soul.

It would be the most glorious submission imaginable.

**You have gained the skill. [Harbinger of Ciarra]**

Being careful not to wake Ciarra, I cuddled against the other side of Kitten. My Kitten opened her eyes, then started purring as she fell back asleep. Ciarra was as beautifully nude as when we first met.

Something seemed off.

Back when we finished dinner, and I needed to leave and stand watch, I ordered Kitten to submit herself to Ciarra. While patrolling our camp, I tried to ignore the catgirl's eager whimpers and the scent of their arousal. Tonight had been Kitten's first time with Ciarra. I just wished I could have joined them.

I inhaled deeply, taking in their scent.

Ciarra and Kitten's arousal was still thick in the air, but neither one had climaxed. Kitten was dressed! Ciarra's hands were under Kitten's shirt, but her tail wasn't buried between Kitten's legs. Kitten's crotch was soaked, but I couldn't smell her on Ciarra's hands or tail.

Ciarra... waited for me.

I reached out a trembling hand and rested it on her thigh.

None of the others would understand, they thought the priceless uncut diamond meant something special, but I know My Queen. That diamond, no matter how precious, meant little to her. This was sex, and coming from Ciarra, that meant far more.

I can hardly believe we just met a few days ago, that this is only our fourth night together.

I silently wept tears of joy.

* * *

Someone approached. Instantly awake, I kept my breathing steady while I prepared myself for combat.

"Should we wake them?" asked Wumtug.

Violet better not be relaxing in camp. She had the third watch.

Neither noticed when I stealthily came to my feet. I smiled. Violet was in camp, but she watched the blocked cavern entrance nervously. Someone had placed several lightstones around the opening and even set a few in the corners where the darker shadows had been. I should have done that while I was on watch.

"I'll take care of waking Ciarra," I said. Violet and Wumtug both jumped. I love doing that. "Once we are packed and ready to move out."

Now awake, Kitten tried to squirm free. She pushed and strained against Ciarra, but I knew from experience that even in sleep, Ciarra never truly relaxed her limbs. It felt like being wrapped in velvet-covered steel bars. Until Ciarra woke up, Kitten wasn't going anywhere.

Kitten started to say something, but I placed a finger on her lips and whispered, "Don't you dare wake her."

Wumtug and I quietly packed, then I headed back to My Queen. I would wake her as she deserves.

Starting with her ankles, I slowly licked and kissed my way up her long exposed leg.

I was about halfway up her torso when her tail wrapped around my neck. She pulled me down to her feet, lining my mouth up with her claws. I licked tentatively, not really sure what she wanted.

She barely reacted.

The foul taste of dead slime and gritty dirt wasn't pleasant, but starving on the streets had forced me to eat things that tasted far worse. I could ignore the taste, although grit was harder to embrace.

I licked my lips, then probed between her talons with my tongue. This time Ciarra twitched and made a throaty growl of pleasure.

I smiled. Ciarra had taught me a new way to please her.

Eagerly sucking and licking, I took each claw in my mouth separately. Razor-sharp cutting edges sliced small cuts into my flesh as I worked my way up and down each toe, but that only added to my passion. I spent several minutes thoroughly exploring her foot with my mouth and tongue, paying close attention to her reactions.

Ciarra rolled onto her back, freeing Kitten, who immediately bolted.

I strained to reach Ciarra's newly exposed foot, the one I hadn't yet cleaned. It was just out of reach, so frustratingly close that my tongue could touch the tip of her largest talon, but nothing more.

My Queen sat up, and her tail released me. I lunged forward. Kneeling over her feet, I used everything I just learned and meticulously cleaned every inch of her other foot with my tongue.

Even after both were spotless, I continued to trace her toes with my lips. She smiled down as I worked my tongue, eyes bright with lust. I knew that look.

I quickly glanced around.

Violet was torn between covering her eyes and gawking at us, but Wumtug just stared at Ciarra nude body with his mouth hanging open. I wanted to kill him for it, but Ciarra's reaction to my old bandit gang seeing her nude stayed my hand.

"Violet," I barked, and she squeaked, blushing furiously. "take Wumtug, the two of you are on watch until Ciarra is ready to leave."

"I'm not going to chance sex with you until we kill the champion," said Ciarra, "It's not worth the risk, even with someone still on watch."

Biting back my disappointment, I said, "As you wish, My Queen."

"No need to be so disappointed. Outside the dungeon, I'd spend the day playing with you, but not inside. What if he attacked after I exhausted you? I'm not willing to risk your life."

That made me smile. I gave the top of each of My Queen's feet one last kiss, then stood up.

Movement attracted my attention. My Kitten hurred back to us. She whispered something to Ciarra so quietly that I couldn't hear her, even with my sensitive hearing.

Ciarra shook her head in reply, and Kitten looked frantic. She started to say something, but Ciarra smiled her wonderfully predatory smile, and Kitten stopped speaking mid-word.

Ciarra said, "You belong to Vixen. Ask her, not me."

Kitten turned to me, furiously blushing, and stammered, "P-P-Please, Ciarra made it so I couldn't pee, and I need to go. Please ask her to change me back! Please!"

I blinked.

She what?

I stared at Kitten in surprise for several long moments.

She dropped to her knees and bowed down low. I looked down into pleading eyes, and something clicked into place like the final piece of a puzzle and filled a void I hadn't realize was there.

I felt my own lips form a predatory smile.

My Kitten was my prey. My pet. My toy. More importantly, she was also my responsibility. My Queen could have taken anyone, and she chose me. Someone who reveled in what she did. My Kitten belonged to me, just like I belonged to Ciarra. I couldn't do less for my Kitten than My Queen did for me.

I needed more information.

Gesturing to the far wall, I ordered Kitten to wait until I called her back. Wide-eyed, she hurried to the wall.

"My Queen, I don't have your talent for understanding… kinks and fetishes. I… I wish to take my pleasure from Kitten, but I also wish to give her pleasure. Do you have any suggestions?"

My Queen laughed beautifully and seemed unexpectedly eager. Ciarra's eyes sparkled and danced as she explained in detail exactly what Kitten's needs were. That she needed to be dominated, humiliated, and to be tied up or otherwise restrained. That pain would almost instantly ruin her pleasure. As the conversation stretched on, I could see Kitten practically dancing in the corner of my eye.

And that gave me a fantastic idea.

"Oh," said Ciarra, "did you just think of something?"

"Yes, My Queen. What if I gave her a choice? One change for another. A change I would enjoy, but would be wonderfully humiliating to her?"

I couldn't bring myself to meet My Queen's eyes.


End file.
